


Book Two: Honor and Redemption

by Katberry (E_trine)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Best Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:09:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 47,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24915154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E_trine/pseuds/Katberry
Summary: “Think about it, Katara,” Sokka said in the high pitched voice that made her wince with each word. “You can’t do this.”“What else am I going to do? Let him die?” Ironically, just an hour ago she wouldn’t have hesitated to murder him. She was going to murder him. How was it that in the past hour they were saving him for the second time? If you had said that to her last night she’d have laughed hysterically until morning.“He’s the enemy! Of course, we can let him die. Aang, help me out here.”
Relationships: Azula/Mai (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 78
Kudos: 124





	1. The enemy

**Author's Note:**

> I started watching Avatar: The Last Airbender for the first time a few weeks ago and the first thing I said was, Can't wait for Zuko to join the gang and start dating Katara. As much as I loved the show I was so so so disappointed everything didn't happen as I wanted it to happen. And that's how I'm writing my first fanfiction (totally loving it). I'm terrified of sharing my writing but at the same time can't wait for you to read my take on it. I hope you'll like it!  
> I'll post a chapter per week. I'm not sure where I'm going with it. I'm not a plotter. I never follow any outline so I don't even try to go through that hellish process. I know there will be lots of Katara/Zuko and Sokka/Suki times though, and the rest of the character combinations are open for suggestion. I can't tell you if it will be slow-burn romance or if it'll have smexy times and because I really have no idea where I'm going I'll leave notes if it crosses any lines. The story will continue where the book one (kinda) left off with a major twist and everything that follows will be to get Katara and Zuko together as he redeems himself slightly differently and maybe sooner? And other fun stuff happens. Hopefully? Maybe?

“Think about it, Katara,” Sokka said in the high pitched voice that made her wince with each word. “You can’t do this.”

  
“What else am I going to do? Let him die?” Ironically, just an hour ago she wouldn’t have hesitated to murder him. She was going to murder him. How was it that in the past hour they were saving him for the second time? If you had said that to her last night she’d have laughed hysterically until morning.

  
“He’s the enemy! Of course, we can let him die. Aang, help me out here.”

  
Sokka was right. They should be celebrating it as a win. So, why was she yelling at her brother when she knew he was right? His death wouldn’t be their fault and saving him wasn’t their responsibility, he’d brought this one on himself. The problem was, she had a way to save him and if she didn’t she’d have to live with it for the rest of her life. Katara wasn’t sure she could live with the knowledge despite who he was. Her hesitation already nagged at her.

  
Okay, probably it was smarter to save it for someone more deserving but there were so many of those. How did she choose? How could she wait for the right person when she knew with every ounce of energy in her that this was the right time. He was the right person. She’d felt the energy stutter as if shocked all around them the moment fire entered his body.

  
The balance of the world didn’t hang only on avatar or the moon spirit. In that moment she understood it clearly. From Momo to Princess Yue, they were all necessary parts to keep the balance, and that included Zuko. His journey wasn’t over nor was his fate decided. Like a whisper she could hear it in the energy gathering around them. What did that mean? Did he still have a chance at redemption? Were they supposed to help him? If the last six years hadn’t taught Zuko a lesson, Katara doubted they would make a difference. She wondered what sort of a redemption did that leave the prince.

  
“I don’t know, Sokka. I think Katara is right,” Aang spoke softly, almost regretting his own words. “If he dies and we didn't do anything, we are no better than him.”

“What?! Are you people insane? He has been hunting us to the end of the world and you want to use the water from the Spirit Oasis to heal him?”

  
“He did fight Admiral Zhao just now,” the young avatar offered. “And I’m sensing weird energy gathering around him. I don’t think it’s up to us this time.”

  
“And you think he did it out of the goodness of his heart? Weird energy means bad. We need to get out of here.”

  
Aang’s unsure eyes darted towards her. “He did kidnap me when I was vulnerable.”

  
“That’s all I’m saying.” Sokka nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

  
Their voices faded from Katara’s ears, her entire being focused on the dying prince in her arms. Aang felt the energy gathering around them; Katara hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until she heard his words. Would she have really done it? Would she have stopped if the avatar spoke against it? She was glad she didn’t have to find out.

  
When Zhao’s fire pierced Zuko’s heart he had been watching Katara, whispering her name. For someone whose entire life revolved on catching the avatar when he finally caught up, his eyes always found Katara’s first. Why was that? Because she was the leader of the group? Appeared more adult than the other two? As silly as it sounded she hated the idea she wouldn’t hear the answer if she didn’t save him now. It wasn’t silly. It was madness.

  
A tear dropped on the exiled prince’s forehead. She watched it as it rolled over his temple and into the hairline. When had she started to cry? By the looks of it, this wasn’t the first tear. In her eyes the scene flickered, images blurring into each other. She had seen the Ocean Spirit take hold of Zhao, pulling him over the bridge. She saw Zuko offer him a hand but the admiral was out of his reach. Their loud footsteps distracted Zuko. As they approached he turned, whispering her name. She’d seen his lips shape her name before Katara saw the pure hatred in the admiral’s eyes over Zuko’s shoulder. She’d screamed his name. In that very second, Admiral Zhao had thrown a fire dagger at the crown prince’s back.

  
The idiot had taken a step towards her as if she called him for help and not in warning. When he fell on one knee, she hadn’t thought through her actions. The road in front of her had frosted as she’d slid on her knees cushioning his head in her lap before it hit the ground. He’d already been journeying to the spirit world. Reasoning for her motives or moves didn’t exist. She’d no questions or answers, only certainty that Prince Zuko must survive.

  
She opened the clasp on the amulet. The water slithered out, engulfing her hand. The remnants of the full moon visible on the surface of the water as she laid her hand over his chest. She moved pieces of the ripped fabric from the wound with the other hand. Katara didn’t feel his heartbeat, she didn’t feel any life in him.

  
“C’mon, Zuko,” she whispered. “This isn’t how you die. This isn’t the end of your journey. Please...”

  
The water was lively all around her. It was neither warm or cold, just something that lived. Lived in her. Lived in everything. It was all around her. She called, and water answered. It’s how it has always been. She saw the world as a crisscross of strings. She knew exactly where each started and ended. Where to pull and what to avoid. Water swelled all around her. Cocooning them under a water dome. Just Katara and Zuko. She could hear the avatar yelling her name, Sokka trying to enter the dome but water remained their guardian.

  
She looked down at the prince. With the silly ponytail his face was all sharp angles. Even in death he looked every bit of royalty he was. He might have been exiled, but Katara doubted Zuko fully understood it or believed it. Yet, he’d to watch the reminder on his face every time he looked in the mirror. Katara didn’t know the details, she just knew it had something to do with his exile and avatar. It wasn’t the first time she wondered about his life. Ever since he had taken her pendant he entered her thoughts more often than she would have liked. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to never be able to forget, or move on really. She cried harder. No one deserved to live like that. No one deserved to die in exile, removed from all the loved ones.

  
A new energy stirred in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes widened when she saw water shimmering and flowing in a circle as if wind blowing on it. Katara’s hand lit up like Aang’s tattoos as her energy engulfed it. She felt how life traveled inside him digging its roots deep in his heart. It reminded her of ivy plants climbing and covering every surface.

  
Zuko’s heart fluttered under her palm.

  
What would the prince say if he knew the essence of some water tribe girl ran in his veins? Would he choose death? Probably. She almost giggled. She was glad she stopped herself, she felt so giddy at the strengthening heartbeat she was ready to dance and sing. She wiped her tears away.

  
Water crushed on the ground and retreated. She sagged back in relief. He was alive. How did that make her happy? Why? It was clear to her she didn’t want to dwell on such things. This was what the spirits wished. She had just been a vessel. For some reason a very willing vessel, but Katara wasn’t dwelling on such things. “He still needs healing and time, but he’ll be okay.”

  
Sokka looked out of breath. His hair was mused. “Don’t let me stop you from throwing a party in his honor.”

  
“Are you okay?” Aang asked Katara. She nodded. “What just happened? You were glowing like me.”

  
“The spirits.”

  
He nodded, big eyes full of understanding and sympathy. “What are we going to do with him?”

  
“Maybe Chief Arnook should keep him as a war prisoner,” said Sokka. Aang nodded clearly pleased with the decision, still darting worried glances towards her. She wanted to reassure him she was really okay, she just didn’t know how to do that.  
“No, he still needs healing,” protested Katara.

  
“Katara!” Sokka’s exasperation had reached the peak. “You just sacrificed something special for a man who probably doesn’t know what special means or sacrifice! They have great healers at the Northen Tribe. He’ll be much better than he deserves.”

  
“I have to go with Sokka on this one, Katara. We have to go to King Bumi as soon as possible, we can’t wait for Zuko to heal and we can’t exactly take him with us. Sokka’s plan is the best.”

  
Katara knew, of all the people in the world, Aang would understand. He was the bridge between the worlds. He knew what it felt like when the spirits demanded to be listened to. He’d know she couldn’t easily ignore it. When she spoke she looked him in the eyes, letting him see the fear and certainty inside her. “Aang, do you feel it?”

  
His brows furrowed in the way that always reminded Katara he was both a kid and a wise old guy. He nodded on a sigh. “I do.”

  
“What?” Sokka’s looked around, properly spooked. “What are you feeling? I’m feeling nothing.”

  
“We’ll take him with us until he is healed.”

  
“And then what?” asked Sokka. “I’m dying to hear your plan.”

  
“I don’t know!” Katara was back at yelling, the anger that had dissipated when her healing powers took over seemed to roar its head ten times stronger. Why couldn’t she do something irrational for once? And how was it even irrational? It’s what the spirits wanted! Why couldn’t she take this minute by minute like they seemed to do? She wasn't sure of anything! She knew this was crazy. In Sokka’s position she may have locked herself up for her own good. She knew all of that and yet she clung to the disgraced prince like he was a piece of log keeping her afloat. “When he is healed we’ll drop him in the desert so he can’t chase us or something.”

  
“Oh, oh, so you want to save him just so you kill him yourself?” Sokka paused, frowning. “Actually, I’m not against that.”

  
“Maybe he’ll be so grateful we saved his life he will stop hunting us,” said Aang.

  
“And maybe he’ll tell us everything about his father and help us defeat him.”

  
“Do you think?” Aang turned to Sokka, voice full of hope.

  
That would be really great, Katara thought to herself, and before Sokka could employ his endless sarcasm she interjected. “Let’s get him on Appa.”

  
She couldn’t take Aang’s hopeful look to be crushed. The young avatar’s forgiveness had no limits. It’s what made him see the good in people no matter who they were. Katara never wanted him to learn that people disappointed you more than they surprised you. Katara made a promise to herself. She wouldn’t be one of them. She wouldn’t be a disappointment.

  
She’d protect Aang at any cost. She wouldn’t allow Zuko to do harm to him or Sokka or anyone else while he was with them. And they could drop him somewhere the moment he was stable. Maybe even find Iroh and return him to his uncle. Meanwhile she was going to watch his every move.

  
“Katara?” She felt Aang’s hand on her shoulder. “If you don’t want to do this, we can wait a few days while he heals and then go. I could practice some more waterbending with Master Pakku. It’s not like I don’t need it.”

  
Katara looked at him surprised. She didn’t realize her worry and self doubt about containing Zuko was written on her face. She squared her shoulders and smiled at him. “I think we will be fine. We just need to figure out how to detain a firebender, a very strong firebender, without a prison cell.” It took courage to face Sokka when he was right. He almost appeared taller than her, almost like he sat on a high horse as if he had any right to. She sighed and turned to him. “Any ideas?”

  
“Leave him here. If we know one thing about Zuko, he always survives.”

  
“Sokka.”

  
“Fine. I just want to make sure you understand I’m not happy about this.”

  
Katara rolled her eyes. “You think you can be any clearer?”

  
Since the prince was still unconscious they didn’t have to immediately address his imprisonment, so they got him on Appa. Sokka went back to the town to get supplies to devise a makeshift prison that didn’t add an extra wait to Appa. Aang remained with her. He sat in the opposite corner of the saddle watching Katara work.

  
While she’d brought him back, the water hadn’t healed the wound itself. She was too exhausted to use more of her healing power. He had to survive without bending for the day or at least a good few hours. It still needed to be cleaned and dressed. Katara had helped Gran Gran enough times to know what she was doing. She had packed a supply of necessary items to treat some of the injuries when they left the Southern Water Tribe, and she had to constantly refill the supply. She’d quickly learned with a twelve and a sixteen year old and no proper supervision many things ended with blood.

  
She cut all of the fabric from Zuko’s body, averting her eyes from everything but the wound on his chest. She cleaned it with something that was supposed to sting. Katara hoped it would serve to jolt him to consciousness. She got nothing no matter how much she dubbed and pressed. The prince’s breathing remained shallow. She dressed him before pulling a blanket over him. She rocked back on her heels with her bloody hands on her thighs, watching Zuko.  
Would he find his way back to life? The spirits were silent but the avatar spoke, “I can’t believe we are treating my enemy like a member of our group.”

  
An understatement?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you, thanks for reading!
> 
> Fair warning, this chapter is bit wonky. I took a wrong turn and a few chapters in I realized I created a plot hole so big the entire Hogwarts could move in. I had to cut and piece together everything, especially this chapter which always creates flow issues. I know I should just delete it, but by now I've put too much effort into it and I still kinda like pieces and bits of it. And if I keep editing I won't ever be able to let it go and I'll just drive myself crazy, which I often do.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you still enjoy it. Happy reading!

Katara sat up with a start. “Aang?”

  
She had barely blinked, he was out of his sleeping bag and moving. He was using airbending to get dressed and shield himself from her. She pulled down the zipper on her own sleeping bag, throwing a hand over her mouth to hide the yawn. “Did you have another nightmare?”

  
“Not now, Katara,” Aang said as he grabbed his staff and without a glance dived from the cliff.

  
_Then when, Aang?_ Katara thought to herself. She knew he was making the habit of running away. She had no idea how to stop him when she couldn’t even stop herself from doing the same thing. She wished he would at least talk to Sokka about what was causing the nightmares. Since they left the North Pole they hadn’t had a goodnight's sleep, and Aang’s nightmares only seemed to get worse.

  
All three of them had dark circles under their eyes. If she was honest, four of them. And the fourth one worried her as much as Aang’s nightmares. Prince Zuko wasn’t showing any signs of coming back. He was stable. According to all signs and her knowledge he should be fine. Why wasn’t he? Was this what the spirits wanted? To torture all of them? To kill him with starvation because fire wasn’t good enough of a punishment? Probably, Sokka would be delighted to know that.  
Both Sokka and Aang asked her about her plans with him on a daily basis. Most of the time she wanted to scream. Honestly, she’d been screaming for days. It was just internally. Katara knew the sound was bound to burst out of her. She couldn’t talk to anyone about anything and she was slightly going mad.

  
The outpost was five days away, and they still had a day journey left ahead of them. Already long road seemed endless to Katara. She sighed, rubbing her eyes before looking around. They were camping on a cliff for the night. She saw Appa hadn’t moved from his spot, Momo spread-eagled on top of his stomach as she’d left him. Sokka sat against Appa’s tail. He was supposed to be watching Zuko, not that the prince did anything but lay perfectly still. Sokka let out a snore so loud the ground shook under her feet. He was probably fast asleep the moment he took over her shift. It had been his idea to keep the guard in the first place!

  
She took a deep breath as she turned towards the prince. He lay on his own sleeping bag. Katara thought it was only reasonable to get him one. It made a terrible bed as it was, they couldn’t let him sleep on the ground without anything. It’d caused so much commotion--to her utter embarrassment--she’d trapped Sokka in an ice cube. Just for a few seconds, before her sensibility took over her anger and frustration.

  
Perhaps why she’d lost the battle over his proximity to the campfire. She worried his unmoving state might have something to do with a lack of fire around him. She was sure Sokka’s handcuffs didn’t help. Katara had to admit her brother was kind of a genius, though. He had made cooling mittens that kept Zuko’s fingers at a low temperature.

  
Sokka was able to find materials that kept cold for a few hours, which was already more than she expected. She had to refreeze the mittens when it started to melt but that didn’t present a problem. She wasn’t going anywhere that long. She was ashamed to admit partially she was afraid Sokka or Aang might go a step too far and do something they all regretted. Aang’s words haunted her as Katara found herself looking after the prince like he was one of them.

  
What choice did she have? He wasn’t completely healed and she couldn’t heal him. Ever since she had used the water from the Spirit Oasis her healing power became unpredictable. The little progress she made with his wound didn’t seem worth it. She felt drained. She had decided to take a break from healing until her energy replenished. She needed time to heal. Mostly she couldn’t take Aang worrying about her or Sokka asking questions. That left her with checking on him and changing the dressing on his wound. It was part of her healing abilities and she needed that familiarity.

  
Zuko’s gloved hands were above the blanket to keep it away from the rest of his body. The whole makeshift prison was just two mittens attached with a metal bracelet, and a tray underneath to collect water. The bracelet kept his wrists secured in place, and had a clasp in case they needed to remove it. It mustn’t have been that long since she went to sleep because it was still frozen.

  
He had a layer of water resistant gloves to separate his skin from the direct contact with Sokka’s invention. She unlocked the clasp on the side and checked his inner gloves.

  
_He isn’t that cold_ , she reassured herself.

  
Sokka wanted to make cooling socks as well. He had even drawn plans for it. She couldn’t tell what it was on the paper, but after his success with the mittens she was reluctant to doubt him. Katara thought they may really kill the prince if they kept his feet cold too; with every argument she won, she hoped Zuko didn’t make her regret her own existence when he opened the eyes.

  
She lifted his arms and pulled the blanket down. The wound had looked bad for the first two days, partially responsible for her sleepless nights. Now it was healing steadily. Katara thought he didn’t stand a chance getting out of this without adding another scar to his collection. Would he be thankful they saved his life? Would he straightly try to capture Aang? What would the prince think to know just how close he was to his enemy?

  
Sometimes she wondered if it was better for everyone if he stayed this way. She had briefly met him but like Sokka had said, it was hard to miss his stubbornness. He seemed to prevail no matter what. That sort of determination was rare. He had been hunting the avatar so long she was sure he wouldn’t be able to let it go.

  
“Prince Zuko?” she whispered, something she had found herself doing often. Too often. Nothing changed in him. She thought that statement applied to his spirit as well. No matter how much she wished the experience had changed him, deep down she knew the peaceful and innocent boy would be gone the moment he woke up. Why was she fighting for his life when she knew that? She pulled the blanket and straightened it around him before placing his hands back down.

  
Her knees trembled as another of Sokka’s snores thundered. Spirits! She whisper-yelled his name. He didn’t even twitch. How was Zuko not reacting to this? She crawled over and shook him until he turned on his side and stopped snoring. Katara sat back with a sigh. Her life was crazy since they found Aang. She’d never believe it could still get crazier.

  
She stroked Appa’s furr, relishing the silky texture under her palm. Hypnotized, Katara watching the flames dance as she listened to the prince breathe, while Sokka’s periodic snores kept her alert. She wanted to wait for Aang. Sometime in the night, Momo wandered over to her, curling up in her lap. He had first checked Aang’s sleeping bag. When he looked at her, her worries reflected in his eyes. Not much later, She saw a red streak in the air. Katara didn’t pause before jumping to her feet. She felt a weight leave her lap at the same time Momo shrieked. She looked back to make sure he was alright. “Sorry, Momo!”

  
Keeping Aang in her view Katara ran. She was out of breath when she reached the top of the cliff. Aang sat at the edge with his back to her, watching the sunrise. She walked closer to him, unsuccessfully hiding her heavy breathing. The world beneath them was so far away it just appeared color green with lines of blue and brown cutting through it. And no sign of clouds promised another hot day.

  
Katara waited for Aang to ask her to join him or to request her leave, but he was silent. She watched the colors of the valley become vibrant, sharpen into focus as the sun climbed over the horizon. Traveling on Appa’s back, she saw more sunrises and colors than she thought possible in a lifetime. She didn’t know how each time it still felt unique and as breathtaking as the one before.

  
She was still unused to sunlight beating down directly on her skin for prolonged periods. Most of the year she had a layer of armor between her and the sun. Katara loved snow and ice, and the feeling of water everywhere. Despite that, she came to like the constant warmth just as much. It felt full of life. Even the air buzzed with energy. Sokka was so adamant about his preference of the South Pole’s harsh weather, she hadn’t admitted to anyone she rather liked it.

  
Katara couldn’t wait for his invitation much longer. They would need to get moving if they wanted to reach the outpost without spending another night outside. She sat next to him and dangled her feet over the edge.

  
“We don’t have to talk about anything,” she spoke quietly as if not to disturb him, “Please, just stop running away. Stop pushing me away. I’m here, okay? Always.”

  
“It’s just nightmares, Katara.”

  
“When I said stop running away I didn’t mean to start lying to me, Aang.”

  
He didn’t say anything after that. Would he ever talk to her? Had she driven a wedge between them? How could she fix it? She didn’t think the silence was the answer but she had told him they didn’t have to talk, and if that’s what he needed that’s what she would do. Just be there for him.

  
She leaned forward to check if sHe could see the bottom. In places like this she sometimes pondered what life was like for non-benders. Would she fear the edge of the cliff if she didn’t have her bending to save her? Even if she fell from this height she was still safe. She could feel under their feet the river crashing on the banks. It was so loud it felt like the river was already answering her call. She’d be fine one way or another.

  
She was lost in her thoughts when Aang spoke, “I’m fighting and losing in my nightmares.”

  
“Fighting with the Fire Lord?”

  
“Sometimes. Sometimes I’m fighting Zuko. Sometimes myself. Sometimes Sokka knocks me out with his boomerang, please don’t tell him that.” He rubbed his head. “I’m fighting, I’m always fighting. What if I destroy everything even more rather than restore?”

  
She fell back on the grass, staring at the sky. She didn’t worry about him destroying anything. Aang had a lot to learn, but she believed in him. She only worried he might destroy himself in the process of saving everyone. Did he think fighting was his destiny and all that he was? She willed back her tears and shoved the thoughts to the darkest corners of her brain. She set up to look at him. He needed a reminder of who he was and she would keep reminding him until the Fire Lord’s palace if it’s what it took.

  
“Do you think if you weren’t the avatar, you would still try to restore the balance?”

  
“Of course,” he replied without a thought.

  
“Because that’s who you are. Fighting is necessary at the moment, but it’s not all there is. We are inspired to put our hopes in you not because you can fight but because you willingly fight for us. Love and kindness, Aang, that’s what defines you.”  
“You really think so?” he asked, voice low and shy.

  
“Yes, I do. I believe in you because you have the biggest heart, not because you are the greatest bender.”

  
“You think I’m the greatest bender?” He perked up.

  
Katara’s heart almost broke at the childish grin on his face. He was so young and he had so much weight to carry. She wished she could give Aang the normal childhood he craved. It was just not a luxury any of them could afford until war was over. She doubted even after that they would know what normal was.

  
“Us fighting doesn’t make anything easier, does it?” she asked, the sound barely audible.

  
“Why is he here, Katara?”

  
She should have known he would directly get to the point. Both of them were right, she was the one who needed to have the answer this time. Why was he here? Why was he _still_ here? Honestly? She had been avoiding that question with great success. Katara didn’t know why her heart was in her throat when she said, “You are right. This has gone long enough. Once we reach the outpost we’ll hand him over to General Fong.”

  
“Even if he doesn’t wake?”

  
“Yes.” She gulped. _Stop being an idiot, Katara._

  
“Why do you treat him like he is one of us?”

  
Her first instinct was to push him off the cliff. She knew that wouldn’t stop the questions, that’s why she hadn’t done it yet. It was a fair question. It just wasn’t in her nature to immediately accept someone questioning her so often. She brought both her knees up and rested her chin on it. The sun still hung low on the sky, making a slow progress upwards.

  
Why was Katara treating him like one of them? Why was he still with them? Why couldn't she imagine looking over and not seeing Zuko’s face? Even his stupid ponytail? Why did everything make her want to scream or cry?

  
She was silent for a long time, mulling everything over. In the end she neither told her friend the truth nor lied. “I’ve told you I helped Gran Gran with her patients all the time. She always reminded me that as a healer it was my obligation to walk the neutral line. I was to save life not judge it.” Katara laughed without much humor. “While she taught me that, her actions didn’t always show it. She judged plenty of people, making it hard for me to listen only to her words and not her actions. Judging people comes easier to me, but I know that’s not right. He is vulnerable and I can help while he is incapable of taking care of himself. I know it’s crazy but I feel obligated to see this through. That’s why he is still here. And I’m not treating him like one of us, I’m treating him just like I’d treat any person. If I didn’t I’d feel rotten and I don’t want to.”  
After that neither one of them spoke.

  
The silence was comfortable, as if the wedge between them had shrunk. She would do everything to restore balance in their team and that meant letting the prince go. Ignoring the panic building inside her, Katara stood and stepped towards the campsite. “Come on. Sokka will be awake. I’m sure he is as hungry as your stomach.”

  
Aang’s stomach grumbled in agreement, red coloring his cheeks. “I could definitely eat.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Sorry, for being late. I had a terrible week at work and needed someone couch and Netflix time. Since I don't expect it to get any better for the next two weeks, I may be a day or two late as well with posting the next chapter. But things are getting better. And I have way too many ideas. :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy it! Happy readying.
> 
> (And look at me leaving the summary field alone like I'm a real writer and I know what it means.)

Katara felt a foot jam in her calf. She was so tired from the sleepless night she didn’t think the pain was worth opening her eyes. Then the second jam came and she still ignored it. The next two were even more powerful. Spirits! All she wanted was a few hours sleep before they reached the outpost. How hard was it to survive without her in that time?

  
“Look, look.” Sokka gave up on bruising her calf. His hands gripped Katara’s shoulders and shook her.

  
“Sokka!” She was going to puke everything she had eaten. Again, why was this happening to her?

  
“Sorry.” He let her go. “Look, we are here.”

  
She opened one eye to glare at him. The sunlight was sharp making her close it just as fast. Once she had opened her eyes enough times and shed enough tears to get used to the sunlight, she squinted in his general direction. Sokka hung from the edge of the saddle, feet almost in the air.

“And you couldn’t just tell me that?” One more word and steam would come out of Katara’s ear.

  
Sokka’s eyes widened as if he realized she was that angry. His arms went up. “Sorry. Shower and toilet and stuff are really exciting.”

  
At the thought of a proper shower she almost melted. While she didn’t mind showering at the riverbanks and lakes, it was nothing compared to a steamy shower. She never thought she’d miss the little privacy she had back home as well. Not to say, she underestimated the effort it took to shower partially dressed. She thought it was more like a workout than a shower. If she started thinking about baths, she might really faint.

  
She nodded with a small smile. “I know we’ve gone longer than five days without a real shower but this time it feels like forever.”

  
Sokka was almost standing on Appa’s stomach, he hung so far over the edge to get a look at the outpost. Weren’t they going there? Aang sat on Appa’s neck, leaning to see it as well. While they were occupied Katara glanced at the prince. His position was unchanged but he had color in his cheek. Either he was healing faster, or they might have exposed him to sunlight a little too long. She turned back around before they noticed her distraction. She finally felt like she could make things normal between them. She wasn’t going to screw that up.

  
The outpost wasn’t as small as the others she had seen. She wouldn’t even call it an outpost. It looked like a fortress. It was located high up on a mountain and fortified with walls as accustomed to Earth Kingdom. She could make out a tall building in the center and people gathered around it.

  
“They are waving at us.” Feeling wary she leaned closer to get a better look at the people. “Why are they waving at us?”

  
“I think somebody is holding my face,” Sokka whispered in awe.

  
Katara followed his pointed finger and almost killed over. Next to her, Sokka’s chest puffed. When they neared the group of girls, who held posters with Sokka’s face on it, started shrieking. She wasn’t sure she wanted to get any closer. Momo jumped on her shoulder covering his ears. “Could you cover mine too, Momo?”

  
“Don’t be jealous.” He petted her shoulder. “I’m sure someone will like you one day.”

  
Katara’s face turned towards him, employing her you-don’t-want-me-to-get-mad look.

  
He was too distracted with his hair to notice it. “And I don’t mean Jet.”

  
She growled until his hands went up in the air, again. He opened his mouth and whatever he was about to say would bring him one step closer to getting punched, Katara was sure of it. Aang interrupted them. “Stop it. I think they like all of us.” He frowned, his big eyes worried. “Uh, guys? I’m not sure about this.”

  
Katara giggled when she saw a young soldier holding an ‘I love Katara’ sign. She didn’t care about Sokka’s comments, she just wanted to know why these people were excited to meet them. Was it because of the avatar? It usually was. What else?  
“What is there to be sure about?” asked Sokka. Appa’s paws hadn’t touched the ground he was already sliding over his stomach. “They love us. This might be the best day of my life!”

  
“I thought meeting Princess Yue was the best day of your life,” muttered Katara. She didn’t think he heard her. Sokka was already lost to the pretty girls that swamped him. She stepped over the edge about to disembark when Aang landed in front of her.

  
“Uh, Katara? Seeing as how they like us, they may have mixed feelings about him.” He pointed a finger to her left. Spirits, she couldn’t forget him for like five seconds. Wait, whose fault was that? And to say she had actually wished she could forget him for five seconds.

  
Aang was right. These were soldiers, doctors, nurses, and the visitors. Their hate and mistrust was deep rooted, which was completely justifiable. They had seen the worst side of this war. She bit into her lip, she couldn’t believe she had promised to leave Prince Zuko here. The people around them already hated him simply because he was from the Fire Nation. He hadn’t or would ever do anything to earn their trust--even if that was possible. What would people of this place do if they knew they had the only son of their enemy? Exiled or not, Prince Zuko was valuable.

  
“They can’t know he is the crown prince,” she whispered, and was relieved when Aang nodded.

  
“We'll tell the general in private that we have a firebender prisoner. We can decide before leaving if we tell him the truth or not.”

  
Katara wanted to hug him for being so understanding, but she refrained. The crowd had shifted closer to them, she could see young girls waiting for Aang. She smiled at them before her eyes moved to him. “Go, don’t let Sokka soak up all the attention. I will hide the prince and be right down.”

  
“Are you sure you don’t need help?”

  
She nodded. “I think there are some people who would like to meet you.”

  
Katara turned around as Aang too was engulfed by the crowd. She looked around wondering how she was going to hide the prince in the small and open space. Once again she was reminded it would be really good if he remained in this state for the rest of his life. She was sure her worries would double the moment he woke. It was already strange enough to worry about her enemy’s well-being.

  
Did someone just call her mighty Katara? She was so distracted she almost left the prince to join the boys. And if she didn’t the crowd might climb Appa to get her. Mighty Katara? Her cheeks reddened. Was this how people saw her? She felt a lump in her throat. Most days she couldn’t believe she had mastered so many waterbending techniques so fast. She couldn’t believe she was capable of so much. Katara wasn’t even sure why she beat herself up for not being better. She wanted to be proud of herself. Why couldn’t a part of her allow it?

  
She cast a glance on his face. Of course, everything had to do with the prince she now desperately tried to get him out of her mind. Zuko had made her doubt herself when he had won their fight. She had been fighting for Aang’s life and she had lost. That battle had brought out all of her capabilities and strength. It hadn’t been enough. Did she even deserve to be called master? She wasn’t sure. She wanted to believe Master Pakku. She wanted to believe him for the sake of Aang. Why did she remain unsure? One thing she knew about herself, Katara was stubborn and headstrong. She’d be deserving of it. Maybe not today or tomorrow. All that mattered was that she would work towards that day.

  
He was a reminder of what she had done. Wasn’t that a perfect reason, among many others, to let him go? She couldn’t be worried about his survival. He had survived worse than being imprisoned between these walls for the rest of his life. They would continue their trip to Omashu. She wasn’t going to ever see him again. Now was a good time to stop thinking and worrying about him. Not that she should be thinking about him in the first place. Maybe only to plan kicking his ass.

  
She dropped on her knees and shoved the prince with more force than she meant to use. His body tilted. She swore under her breath and clutched Zuko’s arms, keeping him from face planting on the wooden floor. She had pushed him to the edge, which wasn’t as high as she hoped. Katara put their sleeping bags around him, and any other piece of luggage that was soft and wouldn’t do any damage just in case something happened. She was putting a blanket over him, when Appa moved. More like fell on his side. She could hear his low purring. He did that when she scratched his chin. The happy giant shifted on his side. Katara lost her balance and fell on top of Prince Zuko. Her forehead in his throat.

  
Spirits...

  
“Ouch,” she whispered between clenched teeth. She had landed on the mittens and the hard service dug into her stomach. She peeled herself back from his body. Katara’s mouth pressed to a thin line, holding a scream inside. Breathing slow and deep she got through the pain. Why did it feel like a punishment for leaving him behind?

  
When Katara looked up, a pair of golden eyes stared back. She blinked. His eyes were closed when hers refocused on him. He was as he had been for the length of their journey. Had she imagined? She leaned closer, still partially sprawled on top of him. Without thinking she touched his face.

  
“Prince Zuko?” she swiped her thumb over the scar.

  
The first night he spent with them, Katara had waited for everyone to fall asleep to touch his scar. Ever since she had met him, she had wondered what it would feel like under her finger tips. Would it be as smooth as it looked? Yes, smooth as silk. Like the rest of his face. In the last five days a light stubble had taken over the smoothness. As if he needed to get any more handsome. She never wanted to dwell on the fact how often she thought about Zuko. To make everything worse, often it was to wonder over his life and other things she wouldn’t even admit to herself in the daylight.

  
She shook him. Nothing. Katara slapped him slightly. When she got no reaction, she pinched him hard enough to wake the dead. She might as well have petted his arm. Katara considered plucking his hair for good measure but it felt inhumane to subject him to pain because of her imagination.

  
She really needed to talk to someone. Someone who wasn’t her brother or Aang. She needed a different sort of friend. Maybe a female friend. Or a male friend. It didn’t matter, she just wanted someone to listen to her. Not to judge her. And maybe to tell her it would all be okay. It wasn’t easy for Katara to make friends, to trust people. This time she understood the need for it. She might have been forced to grow up too early, it just not always translated into her actions. She wanted to be allowed to make stupid choices and decisions. She needed a person she didn’t have to set an example for. At least that’s what she thought might help with the internal turmoil.

  
She loved Sokka with all her heart but brothers couldn’t always be the sort of friend she needed. Aang was another story. Their friendship was a more tentative one. There were uncrossed bridges between them. She hoped never to come even closer to having a need to cross one of them.

  
She knew they were just stopping by here for a day or two for a rest. That wasn’t enough for her to make a friend. But they would stay in Omashu as long as it took to teach Aang earth ending. Could she find someone in Omashu? Someone to go shopping with? Go to a spa? Gossip about boys? Katara sighed, probably not. Aang was a fast learner. They would be moving on before she knew.

  
She added a thin layer of ice on Zuko’s prison. Forced herself to stop fidgeting with his blanket and leave the saddle. It took lots of forcing and glancing back. Hadn’t she just decided not to worry about him? That she shouldn’t? When had she become so undecided? Or better even, when did he crawl under her skin?

  
Katara stood on the edge of the saddle, taking one last look to make sure he was well hidden and unmoving. As if her feet were shackled to him, she had trouble moving further and further away from him. Why did it feel like she’d need to build a physical and mental wall between them to stop thinking about him? To leave him? Was it because she had saved his life? She had joked to herself about her essence now being forever part of him. Was it even a joke?

  
Katara thought it was better to blame the spirits or the world or anyone really rather than face the truth. For that she’d need a support system that was neither Sokka or Aang. Momo jumped on her shoulder. As if he understood her needs and offered help. She smiled at him. His tail curled around her neck.

  
“Will you do me a favor? Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t get into trouble?” She took out an apple from her bag and gave it to him. Momo happily chattered, rubbing his head on her hair. He took the fruit and bit into it as he jumped from her shoulder. He sauntered towards the prince. After she and Aang returned this morning, she had found Momo napping on his legs. She wasn’t sure how to take it. Was he doing it for her? Or for him? Or because he was a danger? She knew there was something ancient and powerful about the monkey. His behavior meant something. Katara just didn’t know what. There was no one she could ask who would keep a straight head about this.

  
She slid down Appa. She petted his stomach before facing the crowd. She didn’t need to worry about the crowd. Aang and Sokka had it covered. She shook her head. Katara knew her brother had an ego. It wasn’t something he could hide. She hadn’t thought Aang had an ego. His chest was so far out, she feared he may pass out from holding the position too long.

  
She thought no one would notice her sneaking closer. Everyone was occupied with Sokka’s grand account of the battle at the North Pole. she gasped as the ground shook under her feet. A podium rose in the middle of the crowd with a man standing on it. He was dressed in a green military uniform. He looked at her and smiled.

  
“Finally,” his voice boomed. “Mighty Katara!”

  
She wanted to dissolve back in the crowd. Would they still call her ‘mighty Katara’ if they knew what she had done? It’s not like she didn’t stand by her decision or she wouldn’t do it all over again if she had to. It just wasn’t something that made it easier to face the people who suffered daily because of the firebenders. They were the face of the enemy and she had given up something special for one of them. And because he was the direct descendant of the man responsible for all of it, it made everything that much worse.

  
She knew all firebenders couldn’t be bad, like all waterbenders weren’t good. Spirits, the number of people she could name who had never come close to good were more than fingers on her hands. It wasn't the firebenders fault their lord was a tyrant. It wasn’t their fault their element was wild and hungry. How had they once lived in peace? Could they ever go back? The scars ran so deep, was the avatar enough to mend the damage?

  
“I’m General Fong. Welcome!”

  
The crowd cheered. They pushed her out in the center. Her feet quivered. No, it was the ground under her feet. She spread her legs to keep balance as the ground detached and rose up just like the general’s. Although their round podiums remained lower than his. If something his rose slightly higher. General Fong’s gaze moved over her companions. He did a double take at Appa.

  
Katara bit into her lip. She didn’t think it was Appa that had the general speechless. She turned around. From her place she couldn’t see him. The general was a big man. Probably twice her size. He likely saw every nail of that saddle from his position. She should have covered his face too. Did he really need to breathe?

  
General Fong opened his mouth. He knew who Zuko was. The general was high enough in the rank to know everything about the Fire Nation. Perhaps all the details of the prince’s exile. Of course he would know. Katara’s eye darted towards Aang nervously. She hadn’t ordered her body to move, yet she had taken a fighting stance.

  
Aang lifted his hand, stopping her movement. His eyes were wide but sure. Airbending, her friend rose at the height of General Fong and whispered in his ear. The general’s gaze turned thoughtful. What did Aang tell him? What did he promise?  
She was putting him in an impossible situation yet again. She bit into her lip. She couldn’t keep doing this. What was with the panic she felt? Could someone rid her of it? Worse than panic was the relief that followed the general’s complacent nod. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to talk to Aang.

  
He flew back to his place, without looking at her. The general clapped his hands, “The Avatar and his gaang--”

  
“Ah, excuse me,” Sokka interrupted the general’s chuckle. Fong had been very pleased with himself, which had turned into a glare quickly. “I don’t mean to be rude or disrespectful, General. But as the leader of this team I decide our name. For now please refer to us with our names. The team name is work in progress. Thank you for your understanding.”

  
“Of course, brave Sokka!” The general was going to pierce her eardrums if he kept this up.

  
Katara snorted. Brave Sokka? He might not be a coward, but brave was a step too far. She remembered numerous times he had used her body as a shield in the face of danger. It was ironic, she thought, he was more deserving of his title than she was of hers--he only dreamed about killing the disgraced prince.

  
General Fong spoke to his people about the avatar’s ‘cool powers’ and ‘awesome responsibilities’. Really? Awesome? That’s what he had to say? She was wary of warm welcomes out of experience. This guy spoke like Aang’s avatar state was a party trick. She shouldn’t have expected him to understand what kind of pain it took to wipe out an entire Fire Navy fleet. He was an adult. He had seen war. She expected more insight and compassion than ‘awesome’.

  
“Come, we have a lot to discuss,” the general said before their podiums returned to the original state. As if ordered the crowd turned and went about their business. A few of the posters with Sokka’s face trampled on the ground. General Fong marched towards the round tower in the center. “Your prisoner will be taken to the prison. Don’t worry about him escaping.”

  
He waved his hand. Two guards left their stations and marched towards Appa. Katara’s feet dragged behind her. She breathed through the panic, keeping her eyes on the general’s head. Sokka and Aang were in his toe. She heard Momo’s squeal. She turned around, hand on her water skin. Partially, she hoped Momo was in real danger so she could go back. He wasn’t. He sat on Appa’s head eating a banana. Where did he get a banana? They didn’t have a banana.

  
The guards lifted Zuko and the makeshift prison, carrying him to a slab that hovered in the air thanks to the third guard who had appeared out of nowhere. They were more gentle with him than she had expected. Could they not know? She felt bit relieved they wouldn’t torture him, taking their hate for all of the Fire Nation out on him. At least for now. If it happened, Katara hoped she would have long forgotten him and her worries over him.

  
She moved faster catching up with the rest of them. Inside of the entrance was a cool vast space. It was tall, green and held up by pillars. Honestly, she wasn’t a fan of Earth Kingdom’s royal style. Despite the warm green tones, those tall and wide spaces were cold and unwelcoming. The thick pillars and dark nooks made a great place to play hide and seek or any other game, though. She knew she should keep that thought to herself. When she looked over at the boys, she saw they had come to the same conclusion without her. Her lips curled into a grin.

  
They reached the double doors that were as grand and huge as the rest of the entrance. The general and the boys disappeared inside the room. Katara clutched the door. She wanted to be strong enough to just keep going, but the moment she had stopped she knew she would look back. She could clearly hear footsteps entering the tower.

  
She peeked over her shoulder. Her gaze collided with the eyes like liquid honey. She stumbled into the door. The door handle was the only thing that kept her upright. She wasn’t sure when she closed her eyes but when she opened them Prince Zuko’s were closed. The two guards pulled him by the arms, feet dragging on the ground. She took a step towards him when she heard Aang call her name.

  
Just for a second she thought to ignore him. She would have if she hadn’t seen Aang’s face. Katara couldn’t screw this up. Not for Prince Zuko. She had promised herself she wouldn’t be a disappointment. So far she was doing a terrible job.

  
If he was awake, she had no need to worry about him. Her job was done. She had saved him. He could take over from now on. She watched his feet disappear inside a room, without once opening his eyes. She knew she didn’t imagine twice. How long had he been awake? Why was he showing her this way? Was he trying to drive her insane? Was he just waking? How could she leave without answers?

  
“Katara?” Aang repeated, coming closer to her. She hated when he looked so thoughtful. He usually figured out things she didn’t want to figure out herself.

  
Katara plastered a smile on her face. She hid her trembling hands behind her back, and turned to her friend. “Let’s go talk to the general. Then I’ll find a soft bed and never leave. At least next twelve hours.”

  
Aang didn’t look too convinced with her smile. He chose to let it go to her relief. “Isn’t the general great? He said we could do anything we wanted here. Sokka and I have ideas.”

  
“As long as it doesn’t involve me,” Katara thought about it and added, “or you two getting hurt, you can go crazy.”

  
She couldn’t give him a normal childhood, but she could give him these childish obsessions with games. Luckily Sokka was the same age as Aang when it came to games and destruction. The one good thing about it was Sokka had a strong sense of self-preservation, which kept Aang safe as well. He jumped from idea to idea as he moved ahead, excitement bubbling inside him.

  
She tried to stay focused but Katara’s ears started ringing. The fortress faded. Her feet automatically followed the avatar. She closed her eyes and bit into her lip in the attempt to keep her emotions under control.

  
_He is awake._


	4. The prisoner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this happened. It came out of nowhere and kept happening. I had one of the best times writing it but I wasn't reading it so I had no idea if it was any good. Uh, I got weirdly anxious to read it. I was terrified it was awful. Then I discovered The Untamed first on my Pinterest feed and then on Netfilx. Basically now all I do is live and breath WangXian. If you never heard of it, you are welcome! That's the reason it has taken me so long to at least read it once to clean it up before posting. I think it's not as awful as I expected to be. I'd love to hear what you think, what you like, what you don't like. Anything. And hey, I'm posting two chapters at once.
> 
> Happy reading! I hope you enjoy it.

Zuko couldn’t believe his ears the first time he woke up. He thought he was still in the Spirit World and those incessant creatures played another trick on him. When he woke up the second time he knew there was no trick. It was the story of his life. The things he wanted the most were always just out of his reach. Why should this be any different?

  
If he was honest with himself, everything was different. He had traveled to the Spirit World. You wanted or not the experience changed you. Prince Zuko was a master at resistance. The Spirits could create thousand versions of conversations with his mother and it would still not be enough to keep him from his destiny. The crown was his. And Father’s acceptance would be his as well, once he captured the avatar.

  
He badly wanted to believe the Spirit World was a fragment of his imagination. That his mother didn’t touch him with the unconditional love she always did. He had forgotten what it was like to be loved for no reason at all. She hadn’t once mentioned his exile or his father or his sister. She only spoke of her grandfather. Prince Zuko was surprised to realize he hadn’t known anything about him or who he was. He never questioned why.

  
He learnt early on questioning things rarely brought a reward. He couldn’t remember even once asking her about her family. She told him her grandfather was best friends with Sozin but nothing like him. She had spoken about him with love and regret. If he was best friends with Sozin yet history didn’t remember him, he must have been weak. Zuko didn’t think he needed to know about his other grandfather and his goodness. What did he need that for?

  
And if she was in the Spirit World talking to him, she was dead. What did it matter where she came from now? She died. She left him and had the audacity to die as well. He only wanted answers from her. His mom wouldn’t talk about anything he wanted to talk about. He still listened, just to hear her. And the love in her voice felt like basking in the sun.

  
His mother was the pleasant side of his imagination or the Spirit World or the delusions or whatever they were. When it came to the rest, he was more miserable than he ever thought possible. They made him relive his childhood and all the memories locked up in the deepest recess of his mind. Prince Zuko’s emotions ten fold heightened in the Spirit World, he was a spectator to his own actions and decisions. He listened to the conversations with his father and the disappointed tone he always used when speaking to Zuko. He felt the pain of his mom leaving again and again. He was burnt and exiled in an endless loop. For him eternity passed. He screamed most of the time but no sound made any difference. He still watched himself as he fought and hurt Katara, captured and lost the avatar. Triumphs followed by demise...his story told over and over...

  
The Spirits whispered of a different destiny. They told him he was at the crossroads. It was still up to him to choose his path. That this was his second and only chance. They told him he was the key to restoring the balance. How couldn’t that be his imagination? How could that be a real thing? Albeit, Zuko never believed himself this imaginative.

  
He already had a destiny. He spent most of his life fulfilling it. He wouldn’t quit when he came this close to getting everything he ever wanted. He’d be fine with his destiny as it was, only if Katara’s flitting touches didn’t drive him delirious. Why was she touching him? After all he had done to her why was she still touching him like she wanted to be touching him?

  
She woke him up the first time. Her anger and desperation called him from wherever he had been. He hadn’t paused to think, he answered her call as if it was the most natural thing in the world. And that was before he knew she saved his life. At the beginning he thought he must have been captured. Katara’s anger faded in comparison to his rage. He wasn’t able to move, or even open his eyes. As if he was paralyzed, all he could do was to listen. Just like in the Spirit World, he was an unwilling observer. Halfheartedly trying to convince himself this too was part of his imagination. Then he heard she saved his life and it appeared against everyone's wishes.

  
He couldn’t fathom why she did it. Bits and pieces he caught in their conversation didn’t provide much answers. It seemed as if the avatar himself was baffled. The memory of his demise was hazy. What could he have done in the short time to deserve her kindness? Better yet, why was his first instinct to save her? Zuko clearly remembered that part.

  
He also tried to save the admiral, didn’t he? He wasn’t sure why. Not only the man tried to kill him, he actually killed the Moon Spirit. Zuko felt the imbalance and wrongness of it to his core as if he was knocked off center. What the admiral did required the highest form of punishment. He spent enough time in the Spirit World to know he got what he deserved and some. The prince wouldn’t admit it but it instilled fear in his heart.

  
How did he go from winning the battle to dying? Why did he remember Katara in danger? Why did he go to her rescue? Who could he ask the questions to when he didn’t have the answers himself. He mentally cussed his situation to The Spirit World and back. Zuko allowed Katara to crawl under his skin long before she saved his life. The stupid necklace started it all. No one could ever say he lacked stubbornness, but even the prince couldn’t resist forever. He should have kept the necklace locked and far away from him. Instead, he pocketed it. He wasn’t sure when he started to continuously touch it.

  
At first, he only took it out to celebrate his small victory. A reminder he found his only chance. Even in his pocket, he often rubbed his fingers over the cool surface. Mostly to daydream about capturing the avatar. Then he noticed a new smell invading his nostrils. It saturated the air he breathed as if imprinting itself in his brain. How could the small thing hold so much of her? His dreams of capturing the avatar dissolved into a curiosity unlike he ever felt.

  
Katara became his obsession, only rivaled by his drive to capture the avatar and restore his honor. He was glad Uncle hadn’t picked up on it. Zuko was sure the old man would make his already miserable life unbearable. Of course, escaping both himself and his uncle’s teasing nature resulted in the mounting frustration that burst when he finally captured Katara. The prince didn’t even try not to be himself. It was impossible. The frustration found an outlet, it didn’t matter that he knew he would regret it.  
And he did. More than he could imagine. When he captured her, he behaved exactly like he should but not like he wanted deep down. Returning that necklace was nothing like his daydreams. Why did he have daydreams anyways? He somehow managed to make it worse every time he crossed her path. He wanted to apologize and the idea made him sick. That wasn’t Prince Zuko. He hadn’t come this far for something so sappy. If he must carry the guilt as a reminder so be it.

  
It just took a little more convincing than usual.

  
He didn’t realize the extent of his guilt until she’d called and like a lost puppy he’d answered. Was she warning him? Was he the one who saved her first? Maybe she was just repaying him the favor. Those were the daydreams that got him in trouble. He didn’t even expect he’d go to her rescue when others tried to harm her. Prince Zuko had nothing left to lose by admitting as they fought, he could feel himself holding back the punches.

  
She wasn’t weak. She gave all she had. She was just too desperate. She fought teeth and claws, but for once he kept his head straight. He knew he couldn’t allow himself to harm her. There were things he could live with. That wasn’t one of them. And there was no way he could knock her out otherwise. She was already powerful the first time they faced each other. In the weeks he hadn’t seen her, Katara became formidable. She just started testing her powers. What would she be like in a few years? How powerful? Why did he take pride in that? What had she done to him?

  
He knew there was something different between them now. He was sure she had done something to him. Before his memory went hazy their relationship was different. Normal. Maybe the wrong word. Maybe a better was to say, not otherworldly charged. After Katara saved him, the energy between them shifted. Like an invisible tether connecting them to each other. Now when she called the sound breached all the barriers. Her voice reached him to the horrible place he was, jolting him awake. As the days went, he put two and two together: every time Katara went through a strong emotion, it brought him back from the Spirit World. Too bad his body wasn’t ready for his return.

  
That first time it felt like he smacked back into his body. He was only conscious. No other part of his body obeyed his commands, not even long enough to lift his eyelids. With no other choice, he listened. Not a minute later, he found out their fight was about his sleeping bag. Katara was fighting for his rights. He didn’t think anyone ever told him he had rights that alone fight for them on his behalf.

  
He didn’t think she would win the fight especially after he realized the sudden silence was because Katara froze her brother. Just for a second but it was definitely the worst thing to do. Surely she couldn’t win with that against her and the other arguments--someone needed to go back to the town they passed on their way and buy it. The avatar thought his animal was too tired for the journey and deserved as much rest as the rest of them if not more. Zuko agreed. They should be more grateful to the giant beast. Katara was willing to walk if that’s what it took. He wanted to believe it was entirely about him, but he knew she was stubborn and that looked like someone who didn’t want to admit she was wrong. In the end, she did get what she wanted even though shops were already closed by that time.

  
The prince would grin if he could.

  
He had absolutely no idea how incredible she was until their journey together and he was out most of it and fighting with himself the rest of the time. He thought the avatar would treat him like he would treat his enemy, but he was surprised by the kindness he offered. Maybe timid kindness but it was still there. Wasn’t that how an avatar should be? He wasn’t even sure what surprised him. The same thing couldn’t be said about Katara’s brother. He’d be happy to reverse her decision any day.

  
His body was still not ready for him to come back. He’d a feeling Katara would lose the fight with herself soon. He hadn’t helped his case. She was strong enough to force herself to face the truth: he was her enemy. They had no place for him. It would happen sooner rather than later. He could feel it. He could feel it coming and he was still not prepared. With his fingers frozen he’d never felt so much cold. When Katara made her decision to leave him, a light went out inside him. He didn’t have a clue what cold was until he felt hollow inside. He was in the Spirit world when it happened. He left his mother by the pond and snapped back into his body.

  
This time, he was there to stay.

  
When she fell on him, he barely felt the pain or her weight. His shoulder...actually his entire left side hurt. He was cold and on fire. What was this? What was happening to him? Nothing mattered but seeing Katara for one last time. If she left him behind he didn’t know when he’d find her again. For now his body wasn’t going anywhere. He gave everything he had and opened his eyes.

  
Her head was down. Her long hair braided as always. When he got the ideas about combing his fingers through the long strands or tracing her loops? Hadn’t he always dreamt it? What a cruel punishment Zuko couldn't feel her weight, not even when she balanced her hands on his stomach. The pain numbed all parts of his body.

  
“Ouch,” she said, her voice barely audible and looked up.

  
Their eyes collided. They stared at each other only for a second before her eyes closed. He lost hold of his body and closed his eyes. He got what he wanted. Her eyes reminded him of deep seas; clear yet so deep it was murky and mysterious. He didn’t mean to let her know he was coming around. Zuko preferred she didn’t know. Why he wasn’t sure yet.

  
If he had control of his body he would jump when her hand cupped his cheek. The cheek, he himself touched with hesitation. She didn’t mind. She stroked his skin with her thumb. Was she trying to kill her? Why was she touching his scar as if it was nothing? Was this what Katara wished, to torture him to death? Her success was undeniable, in the few minutes he lost more years than in any battle. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she whispered his name as she did so many times before. Why was she doing this to him?

  
Soon he wished she would go back to soft touches and whispers when she started to poke and pinch him. And not long after, he even wished for the physical pain as long as she stayed. She didn’t. This was it. This was the goodbye. He messed it up as he did with everything else. In his mind he saw a wall building brick by a brick. The worst was he felt the wall was as imaginary as it was a physical thing. She was everything in her arsenal to bury the connection between them.

  
This was the last time he saw her, until he’d find her again.

  
Someone came on Appa and lifted him out of the saddle.

  
“What’s with him?” a boyish voice asked.

  
“Who cares?” another replied, in a raspy voice.

  
“Nice decoration he got there. Do you think the avatar gave it to him?”

  
“He is going to the cooler,” a third voice said.

  
“He is a firebender?” No one answered the first guy’s question as they carried him. “We should drag his body around the courtyard not carry him like he is a prince.”

  
He was a prince. Time would come for him to show them exactly how princes’ liked to be treated.

  
“Leave him be,” Raspy Voice said. “We are better than them no matter what they do to us.”

  
“Move, old man,” the latter comer said. Zuko’s body hit the ground with a thad. “I’ve been on a high horse and the view is the same.”

  
Raspy muttered something the prince couldn’t hear. He didn’t protest much more as they grabbed Zuko’s arms and dragged him off. His feet rattled on the ground. They must have entered a building by the coolness and the reprieve from the sun. He also felt the tiled floor under his feet. His naked skin slid on the smooth surface giving him a minute to take his breath. He knew what was coming. All prisons descended downwards. No matter the nation. And all of them usually had lots of stairs.

  
“What’s that on his hands?” the guy who questioned everything asked. “Is it frozen?”

  
“It looks like someone converted the cooler into a mitten,” Raspy observed.

  
“Are we leaving it on?”

  
“They told us to return him in the same state as we got him in, I say that means leave it on.” The man who joined later would definitely kill Zuko and call it a good riddance. He could be best friends with Katara’s brother.

  
Return him? He hadn’t heard that part. When were they returning him? To whom? He heard more footsteps echoing, the faint sound of conversation drifting to him. The avatar’s voice was hard to forget. He didn’t want to think about the future. Or how to rescue himself. He didn’t think Iroh would come to his rescue this time. He was on his own. He wasn't meant to be on his own. Not when he was questioning everything he knew while running and hiding from the answers. He never, not once in his life, didn’t have something to care about. And for a very long time he only cared about his honor. Why did it feel like he lost the drive? Could he really have a different destiny?

  
Why did he care about her more than himself, his honor, his destiny? He wanted to believe he was indebted to her and that’s why. Not his fault, someone else forcing him. Lying to himself didn’t help him. He wasn’t compelled by the connection or the Spirits, this one was on him. All his problems wrapped into a girl. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry from the ridiculousness of it.

  
He didn’t know when his eyes opened. Did he ask his body to move and it obeyed him? He watched her retrieving back. He wondered if he still had a chance to steal a glimpse of Katara’s face. Her slow and light footsteps carried her towards the double doors and out of his sight. He didn’t expect to see her so soon and say goodbye so fast again.

  
He’d a lot to say and nothing to say at the same time. He thought his heart might burst out of his chest and walk to her. What had she done to him? He was sure it was his racing heartbeat that made Katara look back. Her eyes were full of worry and hesitation. He knew it was for him. He knew she struggled to let him go. He was exhilarated by the thought. She stumbled into the door, clutching it like a shield.

  
He couldn’t keep his eyes open longer. He didn’t see what happened after. He didn’t care if he made her look back. All that mattered was that she paused. She looked back. Was it because she could feel he was attached to her? Was he the only one who could see it? Was it something else? What else could it be? He didn’t know but he knew he didn’t believe it was just the tether between them.


	5. The cooler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! And please let me know what you think.

The guards talked as his feet bounced on the steps. Mostly Raspy talked, fighting for humane treatment while the other two laughed at him. The back of Zuko’s heels were rubbed raw after a few flights of stairs, but he didn’t predict he would pass out before reaching his new home. He woke up disoriented, lying on a hard suffice. At least he had a pillow and his hands were out of the horrible things. He still wore the gloves. They became part of his body, he barely felt its presence compared to the first few days.

  
With his fingers frozen he couldn’t firebend, but his other senses worked. He could still feel fire all around him. He wasn’t prepared how much worse his imprisonment could get. In the cooler, the absence of heat crippled him as if his limb was severed. His brain made orders and his body followed but nothing happened. Just a tingle where his bending used to be. How did Zuko allow himself to become so broken? Helpless? The prince to the Fire Nation was reduced to nobody. He wasn’t born to be nobody. His life felt impossible and he couldn’t even set it on fire.

  
_Where is she? Will she ever be back?_

  
Why did it matter? Why should he care? She was gone. He was exhausted, starved, thirsty, and alone. He didn’t dare dream someone would remember to check on him. He was abandoned. Hadn’t he always been abandoned?

  
He missed Uncle. He didn’t show proper appreciation for him. But Zuko was grateful. He’d show more appreciation if the old gasbag actually tried to help him to go back. Iroh was never in a hurry for the prince to regain his honor and return home. He was frustrated, and frustrated Zuko...well, he never did what he knew he should do.

  
He needed to get his self-pity under control if he ever wanted to get out of here. He’d reasons to get out of here. Ironically, he couldn’t face most of his own reasons. He forced his eyes to open. For a few seconds he thought he lost his control on his eyelids. His disorientation was further worsened by the total darkness. His eyes fell shut because it didn’t matter. Blackness awaited him on both sides.

  
Zuko’s quest for his redemption died with each hungry gargle in his stomach. He didn’t know how long passed. Was it an hour? A day? A year? It felt more like an eternity. He begged his remaining limbs to move when screaming and yelling didn’t work. Could his body heal? How long would it take? He was half-starved at the verge of giving up when he heard a door open somewhere above.

  
Was someone coming for him? How long would his happiness last? Were they coming to kill him? That too sounded sweet. For a few minutes he heard nothing. Then a spark of light grew bigger blinding him. He heard a feather like footsteps approaching. His heart stuttered in his chest. _It can’t be._

  
She was here. She was back. His eyes focused on her form wrapped in a cloak, the light burning his eyes. He would recognize those footsteps anywhere. He didn’t need other senses to tell him it was her. But he was glad when she removed the hoodie and let him see her face.

  
She couldn’t see him. Her eyes darted around his dark room, searching for him. He was in a large cooler, tacked on the opposite side of the metal bars. The candle light reached halfway through the cooler. She hugged herself closer, frown deepening on her forehead.

  
“Prince Zuko?” she whispered.

  
No will to fight it, he closed his eyes at the sound of her voice. _At the sound of his name on her lips._ Why did she bother with the title? Why didn’t he want her to ever stop whispering the two words she whispered to him on this journey? He liked how it felt like a shared secret. Intimate. Did she also feel like that?

  
Katara walked around the small space, her arm moving up and down. The safety of darkness stayed over him. He didn’t know if he could talk yet. He wouldn’t embarrass himself by mumbling. He also didn’t know what to say, where to start. He would take the safety of the darkness and his silence. His cooler was the only room on the floor. The two walls either side of the cooler ended with the stairs Katara had taken. He definitely was on the deepest level the earthbenders could dig.

  
_Why is she here?_

  
She sighed, the sound echoing on the stone walls. “I don’t know why I bothered. What am I doing here?”

  
He felt better because she was conflicted. So, she didn’t know what she was doing? He didn’t doubt her honesty. On one hand, blaming what was happening on her was easier. His thoughts crashed and collided against each other. A part of him wanted to be her type of guy, and the other part wanted to run further than all that was mapped. At the moment her type of guy was winning, so he kept his mouth sealed. He couldn’t very well run, could he? He could barely keep his eyes open. His gaze was fixed on her as long as she was in the view and all thanks to sheer will to see her face.

  
Despite asking herself her intentions, she sat on the ground and placed the candle stick next to her thigh. Katara rubbed her arms, looking around. “It’s colder than I expected.” Then laughed humorlessly before her eyes widened and lips pressed into a thin line. Red colored her cheeks.

  
_Spirits, she is beautiful._

  
The silence was comfortable and lasted longer than he thought her short-tempered nature could allow. He wished they stayed that way forever. Barely minutes passed before she spoke again, “Are you going to answer me? Don’t pretend you aren’t awake. I know you are.” She played with the hem of her cloak, muttering to herself. She wasn’t as quiet as she thought. He heard her words. No, more fitting, she growled the words. “If they didn’t lie to me.”

  
He couldn’t embarrass himself. He needed to check if he could talk first. It hadn’t occurred to him to do so. What if he didn’t get another chance? What if this was his last chance seeing her? Third time, right? What could he possibly say? Katara looked up, her eyes scanning the darkness. She leaned closer. He believed she may not only see him but his spirit as well. _A hefty assumption I have one_ , the prince thought to himself.

  
“Do you know you have golden eyes that shine like lanterns in the darkness? I know you are there. You might as well talk to me… Okay, you don’t even have to say thank you. One time offer only.” She was Sokka’s sister through and through, sarcasm drenching her words. He remained silent. She lasted another few minutes before sighing. Zuko was glad she was like him, impatient. “Your eyes don’t glow. I’m not even sure you are there. They didn’t want me to see my own prisoner.” she gave a short disbelieving laugh which turned into a cough as she realized it was more serious than ridiculous. “Uh, because they heard who you are.”

  
He didn’t expect his anonymity could last this long. He thanked the spirits he was immobile otherwise he couldn’t have stopped his reaction when she opened the clasp on her water skin. “Now I’m worried I’m talking to an empty wall. I’ll check if you are there very quickly. Any last words before I do it?”

  
What was she up to? He was more curious than afraid. Did she think soaking him in water could make him answer her? The prince’s lips twitched. He wasn’t smiling a second later when water from the water skin slithered between the bars like an extended finger. He was perfectly still whether he wanted or not. The water finger reached his bed and poked his side hesitantly.

  
He heard Katara let out a relieved sigh. “That’s a good start. At least there is a warm body.” The water finger traveled upwards, past his face and circled his ponytail. “Well, the ponytail does fit the prince… So, you are just as ungrateful as ever? ‘Thank you, Katara, for saving my life,’” she mimicked him unsuccessfully. He didn’t speak like he had a hot potato in his mouth. “‘Now that I owe you one I’ll stop hunting your friend.’ No? Nothing? I surely brought these apples for nothing. Why do I ever bother?”

  
She got up and left muttering to herself. If this was the last time he saw her, definitely not how he wanted it to go. Why was he so bad at everything? Why couldn’t he get it right for once? Why--

  
The door in the distance, which closed with a bang not a minute ago, opened again. The darkness receded as the candlelight grew. Katara clutched this candlestick, her brows drawn together angrily. Her mutters were louder and inaudible, he only understood a few words--silly ponytail, ignorant bastard, ungrateful idiot. He was all of that. But ‘silly ponytail’? He snorted in his mind. His ponytail wasn’t silly. Her loops were…her loops were… it dawned on him he had nothing negative to say about her loops. Turned out, he’d lots of positive things to say.

  
She put the candlestick on the ground. Waterbending, she brought a bag of apples and laid it close to his bed. Without uttering another word she left, leaving the candle behind. Even in anger, she couldn’t help her kindness. He was the worst kind of bastard. Why was she still here? How long would she stay? Would she be back? When? His agony lasted past compelling his arms to reach the apple, begging his mouth to eat it, and the candle burning completely.

  
But she came back.

  
“I need to run and this feels like a good place to run, at the moment. Not that you are asking questions. I know guards aren’t coming around. I brought you water, food, and more candles. Oh, don’t mention it. You are welcome.”  
Could a person faint because their heart tried to break out?

  
She sat in the same place as before. She will-drew a newspaper from her cloak. He recognized the style. She’d the Fire Nation state run newspaper. How did she get it? What was she doing with it? What was Katara running from? Why was this the place she wanted to run to? What was she still doing here? He couldn’t ask her the questions yet. He didn’t lose his ability to talk. After he ate his fifth apple, he checked. Both checking his voice and eating apples were a bad idea without water to drink. The apples were ripe, sweetness gluing his lips together. And his voice was just a croak.

  
Better to let her think he was ungrateful rather than make that sound again. After he drank that bottle of water thanking her would be his priority. He already had a talk with himself. He thought his first question would be why did he save her, now all he wanted to know was what she was doing with the Fire Nation newspaper. Was it some sort of new torture technique? The best torture he had gotten so far. Katara’s soft and clear voice was soothing like swimming in warm, calm seas. She read the entire newspaper to him, got up and left without a word.

  
The candle burnt. His thirst drove his arm to pick up the bottle without much begging. He drank it. It took half the candle before he was able to bring more food towards him then realized with no water he couldn’t eat. He had to wait for her again. And again, like a clockwork she appeared on top of stairs with the newspaper under her arms and a bag of food over her shoulder. She brought more food and more water. She asked no questions. Just read the newspaper from front to back and left.

  
He stewed in his thoughts the rest of the time. He practiced talking and what he would say. He sounded stupid moment he said her name. He couldn’t even get past her name. What was wrong with him?! _I wish Uncle was here. He always has ideas, even if his ideas are mostly ridiculous when it comes to the opposite gender._ After a small consideration he decided probably it was better he wasn't there.

  
The next time she came, he had no more excuses not to talk. He was getting stronger. All thanks to her. He was alive all thanks to her. He needed to speak. He sat on the bed, his head against the cold wall. He still had trouble walking, two steps and he was on the ground. Zuko watched her and the longer he watched, the less sure he was of everything. His head was full of contradicting thoughts. At times, he felt like his brain trying to burst from his skull.

  
He heard the light footsteps before she brought the light back in the room. He figured out each candle burnt about five hours. He made sure before she got back he was in pitch blackness. The candles were saving his life as the food was. He needed to be close to heat to heal properly. In the coolness he was too broken to be fixed. In the light he always found hope.

  
Katara sat on the ground next to the candle. The usual place. The usual time. He had no idea if that was true but he had a pretty good guess. He knew she was sneaking here to see him, which meant she surely used the cover of night to visit him. By his approximate calculations with the rate of candle burning, she came around the same time.

  
She read the newspapers as usual but as she finished the news part of it, she spoke to him, “They don’t write anything about you in the papers. How could they not wonder what happened to you? It’s not like many people know I saved your life and now you are our prisoner.”

  
He thought about it since she started reading the news to him. In his world, no news was good news. He listened each day for the sake of Uncle. They had set up a few measures for these kinds of cases. He was glad yet again Katara without even understanding what she was doing she was helping him. Or, did she realize what she was doing? Was she trying to bind him with debts so he gave up chasing the avatar?

  
“You know I can hear you breathing, right?” she asked. She closed the newspaper and looked up. She was looking in the right direction, little to the left and she would look him straight in the eye. “It’s louder and stronger. You are recovering fast. That’s good.”

  
The thank you was on his lips but before he uttered a word she was gone.

  
And she didn’t come back.

  
And she didn’t come back.

  
And she didn’t come back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haven't had the chance to edit the next two chapter, sorry if it's a mess. As always, I needed to let it go and move on. I hope you enjoy how it develops. 
> 
> Tell me what you think! Happy reading!

Katara put her ear to the door and listened. After she was certain no one was on the other side she opened the door without making a sound. The exact same time the door to the boys room opened as well. Aang’s tattooed hand held the door halfway open while the rest of his body remained inside.

  
“It’s been four days, Sokka. I’m going to talk to her,” he whispered but the sound reached her ears.

  
She closed the door until she no longer saw Aang’s hand but still could hear his voice. Sokka was too far away to be audible. He mumbled something and Aang didn’t answer for a few minutes.

  
“You know Katara is right.”

  
“I’m not saying she is not right.” Sokka must have moved closer to the door because she could clearly hear him. “She’s been completely right many times. I’m saying not this time, she isn’t completely right this time. Look, this guy is telling you you have awesome, great powers and I want to help you figure out how to use them; don’t worry if you demolish my home meantime. Isn’t it a good thing to control the avatar state? Isn’t it what we all want? Plus you’ll never get an offer like that, ever, I think.”

  
Katara closed the door and leaned her forehead against the wood because she couldn’t go out there to punch him. She told him already a few times that wasn’t a valid point. Aang couldn’t control all four elements right in his reach, which were lower level than the avatar state. How could he control the ‘great’ and ‘awesome’ power?

  
Why did nobody get it: Aang never learned anything by destruction.

  
‘Demolishing’ someone’s house wouldn’t bring glee to him or want to continue doing it. This was the hope Katara had. A few days and he would see it himself, her way was the only way. She thought this was it, she had him. Aang’s pause lasted longer than she was able to lie to herself. Because she knew it wasn’t right, didn’t mean he didn’t need to find that out for himself. If only, Sokka stopped filling his head with nonsense, he’d have found out by now.

  
“It’s not worth it if someone gets hurt,” Aang’s voice was resolute.

  
“The General knows nothing. Do you think he would hold tomorrow’s ceremony if he did?”

  
“It doesn’t feel right without her, Sokka. And after a week of ceremonies I’m starting to agree with her. There may not be another way.”

  
Sokka sighed in exasperation. “When did she become such a drama queen? Fine, let’s go talk to her. Drag her out of the room if we have to.”

  
Katara was already moving inside the room. She knew the time would come she must open the door so Aang could see she was fine. Four days ago, when she was sneaking back from her nightly visits to the certain prince, she heard a noise and followed it. The courtyard was mostly shrouded in darkness. There were scattered lights here and there. Near the tower, under a spotlight she saw Aang talking to a girl. She recognized her from the welcome party when they landed. The girl was sweet, and quite subtle in coincidental meetings with Aang.

  
Katara smiled in delight seeing Aang’s blush. She was about to turn around when the girl screamed. She hadn’t seen the attacker and neither Aang. At first she thought it was one guy Aang fought. They drifted in and out of the spotlight. From the corner of her eyes, she saw a large stone heading towards the girl. Without sparing the time to warn her, she ran towards the girl. Twisting the octopus arms around the girl she lifted and moved her out of the way.

  
She called water back, she shot it towards the guy she saw moving on the rooftop. When the water neared the guys face, she froze the edge and hit him with a solid punch. The guy yelped and fell. Katara operated in the shadows moving silently as Aang moved to the next opponent. She knew this wasn’t a random attack. Another rock rolled towards the girl. Katara pushed the earthbender out of the way but not before the rock changed its trajectory towards her. She broke the rock into pieces but the rock was too close to her. She wasn’t quick with her water shield to protect herself from the onslaught of small rocks and pebbles. The water shield protected her but not until she was bruised all over. She bit into her forearm and screamed without making a sound.

  
“Hello?” Aang called out to her. All the earthbenders were on the ground groaning in pain. Panic seized her insides. He couldn’t see her like this. He didn’t trigger the avatar state because he wasn’t in any real danger but if she saw her so banged up she was certain nothing could keep him from revealing one way to trigger his avatar state. All three had agreed the general could never find out. So much for that. He seemed on the right track already.

  
He was fine. She needed to get out of there and heal before he saw her. She squeezed her eyes and counted to three before straightening her back. She felt a pop somewhere in the middle that brought tears of relief. The bruises were blossoming on her skin, she could feel it. Aang was slowly walking towards her, she dragged her body further until she found a wall to use it to stand. Once Aang was sure there was no more danger and the girl had called his name a few times he turned around.

  
“What’s happening? What did you do? What’s with the commotion?” Sokka’s sleepy voice asked. She was sure his eyes weren’t even open.

  
“Don’t worry, Brave Sokka! We’re trying a new tactic,” said the general.

  
Their voices grew closer as did the footsteps knowing her friend was fine and he’d continue to be so as long as he didn’t see her, she fled. She wasn’t a thief or did something wrong yet she fled like one. She was well hidden but not out of earshot when she stopped to look back.

  
Sokka, dressed in pajamas and hair in disarray, stood slightly in front of Aang as if to protect him with his own body. Now that he had seen Aang he was waking up faster but his eyes were red from sleepiness. “Did you attack Aang?”

  
“We have to try everything. We’ve been avoiding danger.”

“We aren’t putting Aang in any sort of danger, General Fong. We find proper methods or we go with Katara’s way.”

  
“Ah, yes, Katara,” the general spoke thoughtfully. “Was someone else besides you here?”

  
Her heart had been already beating in her throat, at this rate it would jump out of her mouth.

  
“I thought so,” said Aang. “But I was too distracted fighting your soldiers to be sure. General Fong, thank you for your hospitality but I didn’t agree to this when I said I’d help.”

  
“And I said I’d help you master your avatar state, this couldn’t be helped. And look no one got hurt! We’ll try something else tomorrow. We think it’ll surely help!”

  
Katara silently urged Aang to tell him they were done trying his way. The avatar relented and she wasn’t surprised. She knew too well both needed to try cutting corners. Her brother’s greatest wish in the whole wide world was for their father to return. The sooner war ended, the sooner Dad would be home and everything back to normal. Katara accepted long ago, when things drastically changed there was no going back to normal. She didn’t blame Sokka for getting entangled in his own wistful thinking. And Aang thought he didn’t have a choice. He was already too late.

  
She doubted the general would feel guilty if any one of them got hurt. This was war. Everyone got hurt. She didn’t believe in that mentality. That made sacrifices greater than the outcome. She opposed him the moment he told Aang they were going to the front lines to end the war. The general knew as much as she did, eventually she would win over the avatar.

  
She had to heal herself before she dwelled on her actions and consequences. Maybe think about avoidance as well. She was dripped in sweat by the time she made it to her room. She had to take a few breaks to catch her breath or to avoid a passerby but made it without anyone seeing her.

  
When she fled Katara had two things in her mind, Aang couldn’t see the damage and the general mustn’t get his hands on her. Her plan was simple. Get back to her room, heal, and get Aang out of here by all means. She locked the door behind her and opened the clasp on her water skin. Water engulfed her forearm where a large bruise formed in the colors of the rainbow.

  
She had no technique, no special ritual, just water and her will to heal. She willed, she begged, she cussed, she did everything she could think of yet her wounds don't heal. A sinkhole grew in the pit of her stomach. A short term plan failed. Now what? To give herself time to come up with a better plan she’d locked her doors and told the boys she was protesting. Her heart sank when they had bought it. They didn’t even tell her about the attack. It was fair but she was still hurt.

  
When she hid for some time to come up with a better plan, Katara didn’t expect ‘some time’ would turn into four days. She should have expected. She was cornered and the longer it went on, the more her options dwindled. Of course, she didn’t intend to let it get this far. She wanted to allow the general to try a few more things, once nothing working they would be on their way.

  
Meanwhile she could decide what to do about the prince. Fong was the worst person she could leave him to. She needed to convince the boys they needed to take Zuko to Kind Bumi. So far, nothing was going well. She knew locking herself in the room was opposite of a solution. But without healing a few of her injuries she was useless. With the help of Momo, she stole medicine from the infirmary and food from the kitchen. She relied entirely on the monkey’s strategy, following behind blindly.

  
For four days, like a ghost moving through the tower. Yet, she couldn’t reach the prison section without being detected. With her injuries healing, she didn’t want to put too much strain on herself otherwise it’d never heal. Katara sent Momo with a bag of food every evening and every time he came back with the bag and its entire contents intact, dropping it at her feet.

  
With no way to communicate, she wasn’t sure what that meant. She was surprised how much the monkey already understood without communication. This was the only thing beyond his capabilities. Her brain was numb from thinking. She couldn’t sleep in case someone barged in her room. Katara and Momo sat on her bed watching the door majority of the four days. She was exhausted and her wounds healed slower. No matter what she did, her healing ability lay dormant.

  
Aang knocked on her door every time he came back to his room. She heard Sokka yell over his hushed tone, “Would you stop acting like a baby?”

  
“Are you ready to come out?” asked Aang.

  
Every time swallowing a lump in her throat, she braced herself. “Are you ready to leave?”

  
It felt like punishing a wrong person. She had finally settled on her only option. First she was going to check on the prince and then march to the general’s office. He wanted to show his true colors? Bring it on. Everyone always underestimated her. The biggest mistake they all made. That was her plan before Aang’s purposeful footsteps _marched_ towards her. She’d come up with an idea on how to cover the bruises if the boys ever tried to break in. She cut up fruits in a bowl each morning. When they didn’t insist on coming in she ate it. This evening however when she was planning her actions, she ate the bowl she had prepared without thinking. In the past days they didn’t insist on anything. She was sure she wouldn’t need it.

  
She looked at the tray Momo pushed out of her way every time she’d reached for it. Which only confirmed her suspicion the general was up to something. Luckily, Momo wasn’t in the room. She grabbed the bowl brimming with strawberries, mango, banana, kiwi, and squashing the contents in the bowl. She smeared the fruit goo on her face, covering even her neck. She was applying it on her hands when the door to her room opened. There was a clear ‘oh’ when the door gave in, followed by a shriek. Both Aang and Sokka fell back on top of each other as they scrambled to run away. A few minutes passed before she saw them again. They snuck closer, a slipper firmly held above Sokka’s head and Aang using his staff as a shield.

  
Her brows rose. Sokka screamed.

  
“Are you done?” Katara sounded exasperated.

  
“What happened to you?” he asked.

  
“I’ve a new beauty routine. Want to try?”

  
Both of them shook their heads like she asked if they wanted to be bitten by a snake.

  
“Katara, I can’t believe you are acting so childish about this,” said Sokka. “What are you, two?”

  
She looked at both of them. “Please, pack your bags. We are leaving tomorrow morning.”

  
“What?” Both of them stared at her wide-eyed.

  
“Even if I have to knock you out and drag your bodies, we’ll go to Omashu tomorrow. Please, go pack your bags and rest.”

  
“Have you gone crazy?” asked Sokka.

  
“Katara, the general is so close, I have to…”

  
“Aang, the general is not beyond hurting you to get what he wants. And to give what he wants someone must get hurt, isn’t it obvious? I’m not willing to sacrifice you, Sokka, myself or anyone else for a fifty percent succession rate when we already know the proper channels guarantee you’ll succeed.”

  
“Really? Since when do we have the guarantee?” asked Sokka.

  
“I’ll talk to the general,” Katara said, ignoring him.

  
“No,” Aang said, and triumph passed over Sokka’s face. It fell a moment later. “I’ll talk to the general.”

  
“Aang?”

  
“She is right, Sokka. We leave tomorrow. I’ll talk to the general before we go.”

  
Katara nodded. She averted her eyes for all of a second but it was long enough for Sokka’s hand to reach out and steal a chunk of cheese from the tray. Katara smacked the food out of his hand. “Something isn’t right with the food, don’t eat it.”

  
He asked around the bite of cheese he had in his mouth. “What could there be wrong with it?”

  
“Poison?”

  
Sokka spat the food, washing his mouth out a few times with water from the water bottle she gave him. “Why?”

  
“It’s not poison.” She sighed. She couldn’t be locked in her room for four days and then tell them food is poisoned when she didn’t think it was. “Just don’t eat it. I don't know what's wrong with it but something is wrong. Anyways, it doesn’t matter. Tomorrow we’ll talk to the general and leave.”

  
Aang nodded. She watched Sokka for a few minutes. Besides the brooding he looked fine. Aang promised her he would check on Sokka throughout the night and call her if something. They asked her what the ‘something’ could be but she ushered them out of her room. When the door to their room closed and locked as Katara had instructed, she wiped the goo from her face and scrubbed the skin of any residue of the food. She estimated she would be back in half an hour tops or even sooner if she left depended on the obstacles.

  
She took the black cloak from its hanger and left the room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy reading! Please let me know what you think!

Katara couldn’t say she sprinted, more like she hobbled and wobbled towards the prison section. Most of her internal injuries were healed thanks to the Earth kingdom’s advanced medicine. Her bruises on the other hand looked angrier. She got safely to the first level of the prison section. She sighed in relief when she saw the person sitting in a small booth. He jumped to his feet. “Miss Katara, how are you? How is the prisoner?”

  
She blinked at him. He was asking her? “What do you mean? Haven’t you been going to check up on him since I wasn’t coming?”

  
“Miss? When was the last time you were here?” he said, his voice was raspier than usual. He had been here the first time she came. There was another guy who didn’t want to let her in. He had fought for her and promised to look after the prince if she couldn’t take him. Why promise something when you can’t keep it? Katara forced her muscles to relax and not strangle the guy. The older man's face paled, sweat gathering on his balding head.

  
He couldn’t see her face and yet she still didn’t have to say it. She didn’t have to. It was written all over her--the last time they saw each other was the last time she was here. She didn’t dare take the hoodie down. The guard tried to get a look at her face but she avoided him successfully as she walked closer to the door. “Has anyone been down there to check on him?”

  
“I can’t say. I wasn’t here, I had a different post assigned. I’m sure someone would check on him. I’ll check the logs.”

  
“No need.” as she spoke a wall opened. She stepped into the box and heard another voice as the door closed.

“Who was that?”

  
“The waterbender that travels with the avatar.”

  
“Really? Why didn’t you call me?! I’m a huge fan. Where is she going? Is she going to see the prince? Do you think she will torture him?”

  
“Quit talking nonsense and tell me if anyone has checked up on him?”

  
The last thing she heard was the younger guy’s voice becoming nasal. “It’s such a long way.”

  
Katara’s hand balanced on the wall as the cubicle she had stepped in moved downwards. _It’s such a long way_ , the words rang in her ears. After a few minutes the elevator halted to a stop. The wall whooshed open and closed behind her as she stepped out. She was plunged into darkness. The elevator left a few seconds later.

  
She adjusted to the darkness in a few seconds. No sound disturbed the silence. She left the door shut behind her and took the stairs--in this tower stairs seemed endless. Her movements were slow, she took a break to calm her breathing before she stepped into the small hallway leading to his cooler.

  
Originally, she thought she could do without candlelight. Now that she was in the total darkness not for the first time her heart broke. She was disoriented after a short time. He was here for a week now. Katara fished out a candle from her bag and lit. She moved the candle away from her, hiding her face.

  
He wanted to be silent? Whatever.

  
She was just doing something the guards should be doing. If they did, she wouldn’t even be here. She repeated to herself as she walked closer to the metal bars. They were frozen, like the walls inside the cell. She could just make out something in the middle on the opposite side. Realizing her face was too close to the candlelight, she looked down. She leaned her bag against the metal bars. As she was about to draw a smaller bag out of it, a hand shot between the bars and circled her wrist. Startled, she screamed. The hand held her in place, preventing her from falling backwards.

  
“Who did this, Katara?”

  
She looked up and the hoodie slipped down her hair. Another scream bubbled up in her throat but the sound didn’t make it out. The person crouching on the other side was a far cry from Prince Zuko. And the prince she saw last time was already a far cry from the prince she met for the first time. The last time she saw him the bald sections were covered in hair. Now it was sticking out in every direction. He was wearing different clothes, a prison uniform. Probably to keep him from completely getting frozen. She wasn’t sure what good it would do if it was burned in a few places. A black smudge was on his chin and forehead. What in the crazy Spirits happened to him?

  
At first, she thought it was the shock that made her face numb. Because what else could it be? She spoke, no, more like mumbled. Her words were utterly inaudible. Then her lips lost movement and sense before her tongue became limp in her mouth as well. All the sounds she made were muffled and inaudible. She wanted to grab her throat only to realize her hand didn’t move either. She no longer felt their contact point. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Her body swayed. It wasn’t like she had no control over her body. She was sure her legs would obey commands but her mind was too fogged to give any.

  
“Katara!” she heard a desperate scream as a loud noise pierced through the sleepiness but not enough to keep her awake. She fell face forward. Her nose never made contact with the floor. Or maybe it did and she was too numb to feel it. She had no choice but to let the darkness pull her way.

  
Katara was groggy. Her eyes fluttered open. Why was she in an icy cave? Was this a dream? Her pains were real, it couldn’t be a dream. Her back was stiff as usually happened after they spent too long sleeping on the hard ground. At least she had a soft pillow. Then the events came crashing down on her. She rolled her head to the side, and squinted as the candlelight overloaded her vision. After fireflies stopped dancing in her eyes, her gaze traveled further to the side.

  
The prince sat with his knees to his chest, watching her. The black smudge was gone from his face. His golden eyes were bright as he searched her face. Katara tried to sit up, but her hands were still unreliable giving under her weight. Two large hands circled her waist, lifting her into a sitting position. Her mouth was slightly hanging open at their proximity. Katara’s nose almost touched the skin at Zuko’s throat! Her brain hadn’t recovered and it was thrown into a new roller coaster. As if he realized he shouldn’t have done that his hands let go and he stepped back.

  
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” Prince Zuko said, avoiding eye contact as he leaned down and picked up the blanket that slipped from her body. His voice was low and rumbly. She shivered, not sure if just from the cold. Why was it that the first thing you forgot about a person was their voice? She shivered, not sure if just from the cold.

  
Katara simply nodded. She was certain if her mind was clearer her frustration with him would come out in all sorts of wrong ways, sarcasm being the least of his problems. In her current state she was slower and calmer for some reason. She felt like an alien in her own body. For so long she was curious to see the hidden depth of the cooler and now she was on this side. She didn’t want to miss the opportunity to take it all in.

  
Wait...how was she on this side. Her eyes darted towards the door. Her mouth opened in a soft ‘oh’. A large black splotch was on the ground in front of the door or where a door once had been. The door barred with metal pipes at intervals was now leaning on the other side of the room. The candle she brought was still there. It was halfway down. Yeah, half an hour tops.

  
She realized the room wasn’t as cold as it had been once. Why wasn’t the ice layer thicker? It looked as if it was melting. Her eyes moved around the rest of the place. There was a sink with a mirror on her left and a toilet on her right. There was no shower. The bed she sat on was more like a bench. It was against the wall and next to it a small table. Nothing more in the entire place. Well, she couldn’t see very well on her right. Light didn’t reach the wall on that side. And definitely no lights. What was with the no lights thing? Were they really the good guys if they could be this cruel? Did it really matter who it was?

  
Her eyes fell back on the burned spot on the ground.

  
“What happened there?” she heard her voice ask.

  
He sat back down on the ground, bringing his knees up. Prince Zuko followed her gaze. He didn’t say anything for a few minutes. Katara’s heart thumped in her chest. Then she heard it. She saw his lips move more than heard him, really.  
“You didn’t come back.”

  
“I’m sorry.” She couldn’t believe she actually whispered the words. She imagined what it must be like for him with each passing day not to know why she wasn’t coming. She hoped the guards would tell him. Hearing no one came to check up on him made her blood sizzle in anger. She was the only interaction, source of food and water, not to mention light, he had. Putting herself in his position made her insides clutch with despair. How could she not say those words?

  
He nodded. His eyes found her and she sucked in a breath...spirits, his eyes were liquid. “Thank you.”

  
She took as long as she needed to be sure her voice wouldn’t come out squeaky, which was a really long time because he refused to break their eye contact. She couldn't stand his stare and couldn’t get enough of it at the same time. When he looked at her, electricity charged her skin making her hair stand on its ends. She was instantly addicted to the feeling. Her fascination with her body’s reaction to him was merely scientific, she tried to convince herself.

  
“It’s not for free. In exchange you leave Aang alone.”

  
Prince Zuko didn’t hesitate nodding his head. “Of course. Katara--” he started.

  
She interrupted him, looking back to the black spot. “You still haven’t told me what happened there.”

  
He scowled at the spot like the sheer power of his annoyance could obliterate it into nothingness. When it didn’t work, he spoke, “The last time I saw you I still couldn’t move more than a few steps without collapsing. I don’t know if it took me a day or two but my strength returned. I knew I’d need to break out of here one way or another. And I needed to wash up. There is warm water but no way to dry clothes. I thought I’d dry my clothes and blast the door at the same time.” He poked one of the holes at his stomach. “Not as smooth as I expected.”

  
Her jaw hit the floor. “You can firebend? _here?"_

  
He looked up at her under the lashes. Prince Zuko’s lip curled into a smirk. “When you bring candles to a cooler it loses its function, Katara.”

  
A small laughter burst from her lips. She closed her eyes as if she could hide from the pink tinting her face. “Well, I’m glad.”

  
She couldn’t believe after hearing him speak she would be so calm. She thought she would bombard him with questions. She still wanted to know why he hadn’t answered her before. He must have questions too. He wasn’t talking or asking. She opened one of her eyes to see what he was doing. He stared at her as if content by just doing that. She wasn’t. She was squirming under his warm gaze.

  
Her eyes dropped down to his chest. Through another burned hole she could see the bandages. “How is the wound?”

  
“Mostly healed. Thank you.”

  
“Can I look at it?”

  
He looked at her in confusion for a second, then visibly gulped. He looked so panicked her eyes narrowed in suspicion. He looked up at the ceiling before grabbing the hem of his long sleeve t-shirt. Katara’s jaw hit the floor. _Spirits! Maybe a little warning before he took his shirt off?!_ In the haste to unglue her eyes from his naked upper body and get as far away as possible she fumbled off the bed. Her legs got tangled in the blankets and she fell on the very chest she was avoiding. Her cheek rested on the warm surface, a heartbeat like a thunder in her ear.

  
Spirits!

  
Why was this happening to her? Her entire body was warm and tingly and not from whatever had numbed her face. Cold replaced the warmth when he stepped away from her. His hands let go of her waist and held her arms until she was steady on her feet. She stood frozen in her spot. From the corner of her eye she watched him. The prince walked to the bed and sat.

  
She looked at the sink. In theory there was nothing wrong with her legs. They hadn’t lost their function. And by now all the affected body parts were already functioning normally. Was this like a second wave of attack? Why did she lose feeling in her knees? Her mind flashed images of large hands on her body, naked chest… spirits!

“Katara,” he said softly. She suppressed a shiver at the prayer-like quality her name took when he said it. “Are you alright?”

  
She took a deep breath and berated herself for being an idiot. This was insane and it needed to stop. No more scientific fascinations. Pure healer-patient relationship.

  
Yeah, right.

  
She nodded and walked to the sink to wash her hands like nothing happened. She brought a small kit which was still in her bag. He had brought it inside and now lay at the foot of the bed. She sat back on the bed and put the red box on her knees. She needed to distract herself. Hadn’t she been sure it’d be better if he remained unconscious? Less worries? She still had no idea how much better it’d have been. She definitely didn’t remember cleaning and dressing his wound setting off a chain of minor heart attacks in her chest.

  
“So? Why haven’t you escaped?” Her voice was in contrast to her trembling hands. Carefully she removed the gauze, avoiding all unnecessary skin contacts. Afraid her brain would short circuit from the electricity.

  
“I haven’t solved the dead end problem.”

  
Of course! She nodded. “I’ll show you how to bring the elevator down when I leave.”

  
When he said nothing for a long time she looked up. His eyes were wide in surprise and he seemed lost for words. After clearing his throat he whispered, “You will?”

  
“Yes. You can walk me up the steps if you can and I’ll show you.”

  
“Thank you.”

  
“You don’t have to,” she spoke softly, unsure she wanted to speak at all. “I had no idea this would happen. I had no idea _this_ existed. I should have done something on the first day. I guess I was mad you weren’t responding. Not that I’m making excuses. This isn’t okay. We can’t be this horrible, no matter who you are. I’ll talk to the general or the king or start a freaking revolution to change the prisoner treatment on this side of the war if that's what it tak--”

  
“I guess I shouldn’t mention the dead body in the corner.”

  
Her head snapped up, mouth hanging open. Her voice squeaked when she spoke, “What?” He ducked his head, the edges of his lips fighting the urge to smile. Without realizing her actions, she hit him lightly. “Not. Funny.”

  
He caught her gaze, the boyish smile melted into seriousness. “I believe you. I’m the proof you can do the impossible. But it’s not necessary to worry, Katara, I’m fine.”

  
Katara’s first thought was to stab him with the scissors she held. How dare he think she worries about him?! She released the breath she was holding. As much as she wanted to cling to denial it was pointless. Her actions couldn’t contradict her words like she was a child. She cared. She refused to dwell on whys and hows of it but for whatever reason she cared and worried.

  
Even now, her fingers moved with gentleness she had no idea she was capable of as she secured the gauze in its place. The wound had bled a few times but luckily the open places weren’t infected by the grimy gauze no one bothered to change. She’d closed it with glue before covering his shoulder.

  
When she’d demanded the key to his cell, they told her a soldier must be present if she wanted to enter the cooler. She wasn’t sure how she’d gone through that conversation without freezing all of them. At the end she had to lose that one to win the right not to have her beg checked. She already had a hunch candles were a big no no, and Zuko confirmed it with his remark. She couldn’t help her smile at remembering his words.

  
“Besides,” he said breaking the silence. She had gotten lost in her thoughts and forgotten to reply. “The avatar must think I deserve worse.”

  
She shoved the supplies back to the box, shutting the cover with more force than necessary. She glared at him, getting to her feet. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to guilt him over anything. He shouldn’t be expected to care. He hasn’t forgotten you exist, he thinks you’re in prison and as fine as you can be. If he knew this he’d care more than he should. He has too much on his plate as it is. And his name is Aang, not ‘the avatar’, Prince Zuko.” In anger she and Sokka were similar, both became two-year-old again. There was no way she could stop herself from mimicking his voice. By the time she was done, his scowl had deepened. She grabbed her bag and strode towards the door.

  
A hand circled her wrist halting her movements. She looked over her shoulder. The remnants of the scowl were fading into something more hesitant. “It was a bad joke. I shouldn’t have said it. I don’t expect anything from anyone. Please call me Zuko.”  
Her eyes were stuck on his hand holding her wrist. He didn’t let go. She didn’t pull. She knew he was talking to her but she couldn’t wrap her head around any of it. How could she feel like she’d known him for all their lives? She was rarely this comfortable with anyone. He seemed as comfortable with her, and somehow she doubted it was normal for him either.

  
Prince Zuko tugged her wrist, his hand tightening just the slightest. Her eyes traveled upwards to meet his liquid golds. Her breath clung to her throat. He looked desperate. “Katara, you can’t leave without telling me why you have bruises. Please. You can’t.”  
Usually when someone said ‘you can’t’ it made her want to prove ‘oh, yeah, I can’. This time she felt like she was holding a precious glass sculpture and someone told her ‘don’t drop it’. She found she had nothing to prove.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long since my last update. I had a bit of a work related roller-coaster, and I couldn't find any focus to write. I'll update the next few chapters much faster since they are mostly written, I just need to tweak a few things. I'm also debating if I should watch The Legend of Korra or not. should I? I can't decide if it'll help me or mess up my plans. I did re-watch Avatar: the Last Airbender and got a few fun ideas. I hope you'll like it! A new pairing also happened a while back, totally unexpected but the chemistry is unbelievable. I hope you'll love them as much as I do. Might even be my favorite couple in my universe. 
> 
> Ok, I'll shut up. Go read it and please tell me what you think, what you like and what you don't like. I love hearing it all. :) Enjoy and happy reading!

Katara straightened her legs before dangling over the edge of the bed. Only the tips of her feet reached the ground. A blanket served as a barrier between her back and the cold surface of the cave wall. But it wasn’t doing much to keep the cold out. Zuko sat next to her, their shoulders not quite touching. He had her bag behind his back for the same reason.

Now that she had a moment to observe him she didn’t fail to notice how much weight he lost in the few weeks. The sharp angles of his jaw were hidden in the growing stable, if she could call it a beard since it looked too thin and wiry--missing patches of hair, still easy to tell his features were more pronounced. Surprisingly, the scar didn’t stand out against the pale skin, rather it looked faded.

He was unable to decide what to do with his hands as he crossed his arms, then dropped, resting his hands on his legs for a moment before shifting again. Katara never thought she would be here, sitting next to him. In the last few minutes that became more believable than the idea that Zuko was nervous.

Was she mistaken when she thought nothing could change him? Was she wrong to think it was her wistful thinking the Spirit World could change him? Did it? He had so eagerly agreed, she was half unsure it actually happened. She should have gotten his agreement written on a paper. Why did it make her feel terrible when she thought of asking him if he really meant it?

She so often tried to avoid things that made her feel rotten. Like now, she avoided thinking about the chaos in the tower. Aang was probably out of his mind with worry. She’d told him it was poison. She squeezed her eyes shut. What possessed her to say that? The longer she stayed down here the harder it became to face the can of worms up there.

“Katara?”

She sighed, her eyes moving back to the black splotch in front of the door. Why did she agree she would tell him? Why did he need to know? Why did he want to? She thought if tables were turned she would definitely ask the same questions. Not knowing probably would drive her insane. Especially in a place like this.

In the end, she told him what happened. He listened without interrupting her or asking her any questions. The only indication he paid attention to what she said was flexing his hand as if preparing to punch someone.

“I think tonight he was trying to trigger the avatar state by using me. I got the food earlier than when I finally convinced Aang to leave. The general had planned it regardless of our actions.”

Katara worried her hands in her lap after she was done talking. Having pep-talks with herself about leaving didn’t help. So far not a mascle obeyed her silent command. She was waiting for something. She was sure he had to say something. When he broke the silence, it wasn’t what she was expecting. Or waiting for.

“Why has no one checked if you are okay?” he asked.

She couldn’t help but look at him. He was staring straight ahead. He didn’t turn. She examined his profile. His jaw was hard-set but the rest of his face blank.

“By now they should be more afraid of me than to come down here when I am.”

That got his attention. He regarded her with a raised brow.

She smiled. “We had a disagreement about their protocol and how it affected my prisoner. I came very close to freezing them a few times. I don’t know why but people are really afraid of getting iced. It’s quite pleasant actually. Oh, and also they refer to me as Mighty Katara. And I’m best friends with the avatar. I’ve lots of power to abuse.”

“Your prisoner?” he murmured.

She suppressed a shiver at the sound, afraid it would reveal everything she was hiding from. Squaring her shoulders, she forced herself to maintain eye contact. Maybe in a different world, different Katara and Zuko could have a different conversation. This Katara already did too many things she shouldn’t. She vowed she would maintain as many lines uncrossed as she could, this was one of them. “Any doubts?”

“None. You saved my life too many times. You were too kind too many times. By this point I doubt there is anything I can do to repay.”

She sucked in a breath then whizzed as it went in the wrong direction. She coughed uncontrollable, glaring at him when he put his hand on her back. He snatched his hand away.

“Katara?”

She waved her hand to indicate she was fine.

He rubbed his chest before saying, “Will you quit giving me heart attacks?”

He thought she gave him heart attacks? Was he insane? What was with that speech? She had said that because he was her prisoner. Literally! Without her he wouldn’t make it out or solve the dead end problem. Well, maybe at some point he could solve it. Too bad, he would be dead by then! She didn’t want to hear about his undying servitude. She had just, a second ago, vowed she wouldn’t cross some lines. How did he obliterate that vow without resistance? How was she allowing any of this?

She looked at him, anger and annoyance blending into one. With no better ideas to release her feelings she reached for his face and squashed it with her fingers. Satisfied with her work, she let go. He was stunned for a few minutes before he touched his face like he was rearranging it in its original position. Katara huffed. It was in its original position. She hadn’t used that much force to permanently reshape his face.

When his eyes found hers, he looked at her with a myriad of expressions. His lips were still slightly parted as if he couldn’t recover from the shock entirely. She shrugged. “It had to come out some way. That was the safest option. And I meant you literally can’t get out of here without me.”

“That’s why I said ‘none’.”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Just stop it. You are supposed to be mean and to tell me no matter what you won’t stop hunting Aang. Why are you being all nice?”

“I’m sorry I hurt you, Katara. It’s not something I can take back. At the time I thought I was doing the right thing for the right reasons.”

She didn’t miss what he said but she was on a roll. “There you go again. Stop being nice and apological! Be mean. Do something unspeakable! Make it easier to…easier to...”

“Easier to?”

“To..to hate you. To leave. Gah! Spirits!” The fight drained out of her and she sagged back. Knowing she couldn’t take the words back no matter how much she wanted it to. “Why, Zuko? Why are you acting like my actions have changed you?”

“Why did you save my life after all I’ve done to you? Why did you read me the Fire Nation newspaper? If you want to leave, why are you here, Katara? Why?”

Ironically, it was the Fire Nation newspaper that convinced her to come down here that first night. She’d seen it in the general’s war room among the newspapers from all corners of the land. She’d been debating with herself how she would spend her evening. Mostly arguing against visiting a certain prince. She couldn’t even remember thinking about stealing it when she was briskly walking away with it. She realized where she was going and why halfway down to his cooler.

She didn’t plan on sharing anything. She didn’t owe him explanations.

She got up, “I have to go.”

He didn’t protest. Zuko handed her the bag. She marched to the door but her feet didn’t move beyond it. There were things she came to say, their conversation didn’t change that. She took a deep breath and turned around. He was staring up at the ceiling.  
“We are leaving tomorrow,” she told him. He didn’t look at her or made a sound. “I’m not sure what will happen to you. Nothing has gone according to my plans. I hope you’ll be able to leave with us but I’m not being too optimistic about it. If I’m not back in a few hours you need to get out. The general seems to be capable of anything and with the avatar gone you’ll become his next best weapon.”

Zuko huffed. “We’ll see how that will end for him.”

“You won’t be seeing anything if you don’t follow me,” Katara retorted and walked towards the stairs. He followed her in a few seconds. Once, his movements had been agile, now he all but trudged along. “Where the elevator stops there is a guard station. I’ll send the elevator down so when you need it you won’t alert them. They won’t expect it but they’ll hear and feel the vibrations, so you need to be prepared.”

“Do you know how many guards?”

She shook her head. “No, not sure. I’ve seen two at a time but the first time I came here, they were five then. And most of them don’t like you.”

“Shocker,” he muttered.

Laughter burst out of her. She smacked a hand over her lips but couldn’t stop her stomach quivering with silent laughter. Half the reason for her laughter was the nerves. Somehow it felt like a goodbye. Like this was it. Now even her feet dragged behind her. She got the control of her laughter but everything that came to her mind to say never left her lips. They walked the stairs with neither of them speaking.

When they reached the landing, Katara focused on the actions to avoid awkwardness. She took his hand and pulled him closer to the opposite wall. Placing this hand on the left corner of the wall, she swiped their conjoined hands to the right. You couldn’t see the opening in the wall but it was easy to feel the bump with a finger. After she explained what to look for, his fingers paused at the crack on their own accord. She took his hand again and pressed next to the crack. The smooth hard surface of the wall gave in, like pressing a button. It didn’t spring back out. She found all the movable pieces with their hands and pressed each in the pattern that would open the wall if the elevator was already down or call if it wasn’t.

She let his hand go and stared at the wall, not even looking in his general direction. The elevator approached with a soft whir before halting to a stop. The door swooshed open and lit the entire landing with artificial light.

“Got it?”

“Yes, thank you.”

She nodded. “Get out of here if I don’t come back.”

He didn’t say anything. Going without looking at him wasn’t an option. Sighing, she turned to him. Exhaustion was etched on every part of his face. She was tired too. Probably, the entire night had passed by now. Thanks to whatever was in her food her brain was still slightly off kilter. Being past the point of sleep, she was in that weird state of lucidity when life and dream was synonymous.

She had an unshakable desire to reach out and touch his wound. She didn’t let herself overthink it before she placed her hand on his chest. Water snaked down her arm and spread around her hand. There was a difference between waterbending and whatever this was. The water itself felt different. Alive. Conscious. It wasn’t hers either, she still felt the weight of the water skin the same as before. The flow of water didn’t stop. It tickled down the walls, and sprung from the ground. She could feel all the ice in the cooler melting. It rushed to her even though she didn’t call it.

They stood under a water dome. The water swayed and rippled around them like it had done the time she saved his life. Her hand glowed for a moment before she felt a spark where they touched. It traveled between their bodies, pouring energy in every cell. Katara watched the purplish bruise on her hand shrink slowly, vanishing. She knew all her injuries both internal and external were healed. Zuko’s as well. She waited for the scar to fade as well but the water dropped on the ground and retreated before anything happened. They both staggered as the power of whatever that was evaporated from their bodies. Her back rested against the wall, while he was leaning into it with his shoulder.

“I thought you couldn’t heal.”

“That was something different than what I call healing.”

“Are you alright?”

She nodded. “You?”

“Would it be a madness to say never better?” One corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. “I guess…thank you, Katara.”

She moved towards the elevator. “I need to go. Please, wait just a few hours.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

Katara glared at him. He looked like someone who drank a few cups of the strongest coffee at one go. She wasn’t sure which part worried her more.

“Stop telling me what to do and do as I say.” She pointed a finger at him. “Wait here for a few hours.”

She wasn’t ready to face anything that awaited her up there. She expected a wall of guards to be standing on the other side, probably led by Sokka. A tiny part of her was prepared to expect the entire outpost leveled and Aang in the avatar state looking for her. She knew that couldn’t be the case. Someone would have gotten her, right? She was sure it couldn’t be that. A wall of guards, yes, that’s what would be waiting for her.

Her insides twisted as the elevator shot upwards.

She took a deep breath and held as the wall slid open. Nothing but silence met her. She stuck her head out, looking around. The guard on duty was asleep. Huh? Was that a good sign? She sent the elevator down before anyone could ask what she was doing and sprinted across the room to the stairwell. She ran up the steps without making a sound. The guard’s snoring accompanying her almost to the top. The silence of the tower was one thing she didn’t expect. The entire building seemed deserted as she made her way to her room. Her movements lost their stealth the longer no one crossed her path.

Why was no one searching for her?

She was walking towards their floor when she got her answer. Momo jumped in front of her out of nowhere and shoved her into the first room next to her. She was too stunned to react, willingly letting Momo drag her deeper into the dark room. Then she heard footsteps. At least two pairs of heavy footsteps.

“Where could she be?” a male voice asked.

“Maybe they had a fight and she left?” Another male answered. “Otherwise she’ll have to return to her room at some point.”

“Didn’t you see, the food was eaten? Maybe she is sleeping outside somewhere? That wouldn’t be good.”

“Well, I wasn’t behind this genius plan.”

“I’m sure someone will bother with the details after our heads are served.”

They were going to her room? They had been to her room? She started towards the door but Momo grabbed her. She didn’t understand a word he said but he sounded very urgent. Katara followed Momo to the balcony and after glowering for a sufficient time she covered the space between the balconies with water and froze it like a bridge. She didn’t have enough water to reach all the way to the boys’ room so her progress was slower than Momo’s. Which only made the monkey more agitated and anxious. For the millionth time she wished she could communicate with Momo like Aang did. At times it seemed she did, only to be harshly reminded that wasn’t at all the case.

She tapped at the glass door to the boys’ room but the answer didn’t come. She tried the handle, the door was unlocked. She stuck her head into the room. It was dimly lit but enough to see everything clearly. Sokka lay in his bed, snoring loudly. Aang sat in front of his bed in a lotus position, eyes closed. He appeared as asleep as Sokka. Katara’s eyes fell on the ground and the guilt didn’t let her lift her head any higher.

“Aang…”

“Why have you been going to the cooler, Katara?”

She blinked. “What?”

“Why?”

_Could someone maybe remove that word from usage?_

She wanted to ask how he knew, yell and be mad because it was easier than admitting her faults. This time she had really outdone herself. She’d no rights to questions of anger. Aang, on the other hand, had the right to be so angry he couldn’t stand the sight of her. She’d left without a word and now Aang knew she’d done it for Zuko. She bit into her lip and kept her emotions bottled. It wasn’t important how he knew. She needed to answer him.

“I lost my healing ability a few days ago,” she said the first thing that came to her mind. Was this self-preservation? “It only works when I’m near him.”

“What?” Aang was on his feet, the anger abandoned in favor of worry over her. She bit her lip harder. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want you to worry.”

“And?”

She sighed, finally looking up. His big eyes were soft as they always were. She sighed again. “And I shouldn’t have done it. How is Sokka?”

“I have never seen him sleep so deep before. Is this what was wrong with the food?”

She nodded.

“Is that why the guards were surprised you weren't in your room?”

She nodded again as she walked towards Sokka. He never believed her when she told him he snored and drooled in his sleep. Sokka believed he was too cool to do such things. She smiled at her brother. She brushed his hair from his eyes, before wiping the drool.

“How did you know where I was?” she asked in a small voice.

“I’m asking questions first. What does the general want from you?”

Katara opened her mouth to tell him when a commotion broke in her room. They crept to the door and opened it slightly as the general’s guards ran down the corridor.

“The general is under attack!” someone yelled.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this one deserves a warning that it may not be for the faint hearted. I don't think I'm going further than the show but I'm also not a very good judge of that. Also, recently I've been reading/watching lots of fluff and it might have been the reason it felt intense when I was reading it. But, hey, all ends well! :)
> 
> As always I love hearing from all of you, please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!

Aang rushed out of the room, Katara following behind. They chased the guards towards the war room. They had barely left their floor when they met a royal guard lying unconscious on the floor. She ran to the guard as her instincts took over. She checked to make sure the guard was still unconscious and not dead or something... Satisfied with his stable condition, she looked at Aang and nodded. 

They both ran, catching up with the growing number of guards heading towards the war room. How many people were attacking the general? What was this? An invasion? Did the war come to them while they were debating the avatar’s fate? How could they reach this high in the tower without alerting anyone?

Another two guards were sprawled on the floor in various states of pain. Katara stayed behind, attending their wounds to the best of her abilities. Both guards had prides beaten more than bodies. Those moans were more to convince someone who wasn’t her. Who was attacking? She had never seen an enemy this careful not to do a real damage. The guards were incapacitated with minimum harm. Well...maybe not minimum but it could have been worse. Someone was pulling punches. Was this a coup? Why now? Did it have something to do with them?

It always did.

“What’s going on?” she asked the next guard she met who looked like he had a few ribs bruised. At the worst.

“The Blue Spirit,” the guard mumbled as if himself unsure that’s what it was.

“The Blue Spirit?” she asked. “The Blue Spirit attacked you?”

The guard nodded. “The wanted poster of him looks a bit different, but it’s definitely him.”

“Why? Why is he attacking?”

“Do you think I had the time to chat with him, Miss?”

“I’m not asking for his reasoning. What did the general do?”

The guard paled a bit at that as if she’d voiced his thoughts aloud. He shut his mouth and wouldn’t talk to her anymore. On her way, she stopped a few more times to make sure no one was in a serious condition and asking the same questions. No one really knew why and how but The Blue Spirit was here and attacking General Fong. Closer she was to the war room, harder it became to move quickly. She carefully tread through the limbs of fallen guards towards the double doors. The last place she saw Aang.

She had seen the same doors open a few times before but each time they were in a perfect condition. This time, one of the doors hung from its hinges like someone kicked it. The other actually had a mark of the said kick. The first time Katara came to the war room she’d been amazed by its sheer size and vastness. And back then she was already shocked by the throne room even though the general insisted it wasn’t a throne room.

She hadn’t visited at this hour before. It was a shame. The opposite wall to her was made entirely of glass. It looked down the mountain slopes to the sea. The sun hung low in the sky as if it just rose from the water. The waves washed up against the shoreline, bursting with colors of the morning. She was distracted by the view, unable to tear her eyes away. Her problem was swiftly solved: a blur of movement in her field of vision and another royal guard fell.

The light in her eyes made it hard to focus on the person moving about the room rendering the general’s guards useless while dodging the avatar’s attacks. A body flew across the room and landed on the large table that had the most impressive realistic map of the land she had ever seen. She almost cried out in horror as a few towers and palaces crashed under the weight of the body.

She marched towards the attacker, water snaked around her forearm and ready to be commanded. A new surge of guards ran past her as Aang’s attacks became aggressive. The shadow spun away to dodge an air-ball spinning towards him, nearing to where Katara stood as if it was his plan all along. As if he had known where she stood all along. Indeed it was a blue masked person. Not necessarily The Blue Spirit. She'd seen many wanted posters and all of them had the same image and this wasn’t it. Was someone mimicking The Blue Spirit? Why?

As the person came closer her jaw hit the floor and she couldn’t pick it up. It couldn’t be. Yet, that figure was familiar to her. He wore a guard’s coat but the shoes were ones she had seen on Zuko. A guard blocked her view from the form moving towards her. She got on her tiptoes watching him over the guard’s shoulder. The Blue Spirit lifted his feet in the air and kicked him in the face. The guard fell with a slight twitch. Katara leaned in to poke the burned hole on The Blue Spirit’s pants but he lowered his leg too quickly. A certain prince wore the exact same pants. Not to say, black hair sticking out every which way was a dead giveaway.

The Blue Spirit lifted his mask high enough to show a rueful smile when he was in her personal space, bent down and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear. “Do me one last favor?”

Favor? What favor?

He was already moving past her. She swiveled around, the questions on her lips. Everything happened fast but at the same time, it happened in a slow motion. From the corner of her eyes she saw Aang charge towards them, she turned around in time to see Zuko dive from the window. Her feet moved on their own accord. She was there before everyone else.

Zuko had landed safely on the rooftop and was running towards the edge. He glanced at her before jumping clear off the edge. What was he doing? Was he insane? He wouldn’t survive the jump! She landed on the rooftop the next second letting the water whip follow him. Not caring if someone mistook it for what it truly was. She was helping the enemy escape rather than trying to capture him.

She felt his weight as her water whip turned into octopus arms wrapped around him. She managed to cut the velocity in half and cushion his fall but the impact still rippled through both of them. Katara cried out in pain. The water whip snapped back, whooshing into the water skin. The weight of it told her, not even half of it returned. 

She closed her eyes for a second, catching her breath. The second was long enough for Aang to fly through the window. He hovered in the air, looking her over to make sure she was alright before he descended. She must have looked alright, then. Katara forced herself to take a deep calming breath. She had very little water to make a jump like Zuko did. It was a miracle she’d stretched herself so thin in the first place.

_ Aang never fights to kill and Zuko promised _ , she repeated in her head like a mantra.

Her only option was to go back into the room and take the stairwell. Freezing water into a slop, she ran up the ice with outstretched arms to keep her balance and jumped through the window without a pause. Returning the slope to its original state and back to the water skin, she looked around.

Everyone was still recovering in the room. Including the general. Katara had never seen the man look dazed enough to gape at her, clutching his nightcap to his head. He was bound to recover. Something in his eyes told her she didn’t want to be around when that happened. The man gave her the creeps. Before the guards stopped groaning or new sets of troops arrived, Katara looked around the room searching for more water. She saw a door to another room left slightly ajar.

It looked like a bedroom. She rushed into the room and sighed in relief as the bathroom came to her view. She guided a few gallons worth of water out of the sleeping chamber. The general was talking to someone, he looked recovered. Katara didn’t give him time for anything. She ran for the window, a whip of water circled one of the pillars close to the window and froze solid. Katara used the remaining water to wrap around herself and jump from the rooftop as the water unraveled from around her like a coil and stretched until only a thin belt of water remained around her waist and tips of her feet touched the ground.

Her eyes sought the two figures wreaking havoc in the center of the outpost. It wasn’t that bad… considering. Zuko was running and jumping on the rooftops and Aang chased him. She watched them for a few seconds unable to decide what to do. How could she break this apart? How could she break this apart without anyone getting hurt? 

They were both mesmerizing the way they moved and fought. Aang didn’t shy away from using airbending. Zuko escaped everything thrown at him with agility, never once slipping and using firebending. Neither had the upper hand, but neither was trying to kill the other. Yet. Katara decided, for the safety of everyone, to knock both of them off the rooftop and freeze them for a few minutes. At least it would give her time to think of a better plan.

“I’m sorry, Mighty Katara,” the general spoke from behind. Her attention focused on the boys she hadn’t heard his arrival. She turned around and, ironically, faced a wall of guards. “But you’ll be fine, I promise.”

Two guards rushed to her. Katara danced out of their reach and ran towards the center, putting distance between her and the guards. Planting her feet on the ground she faced them. Only the two guards stood where she had left them, smirking. The ground beneath her feet rumbled before it surged upwards and circled both her wrist like shackles. All around her feet the ground rose up, climbing her body. She screamed, thrashing against her prison. Her hands were curled into fists and covered with send. The more she trashed the harder it pressed into her.

“Katara,” Aang screamed and abandoned chasing Zuko to come for her aid.

Her hands were covered, but Katara wasn’t giving up that easily. She closed her eyes and focused. Water gave life to everything. There had to be a tickle of water somewhere, even in this ground. Come on! She searched and came up with nothing. It was just sand. All she felt was a world full of dirty, dried sand. How could there not be even a trickle of water? The clasp on her water skin remained closed no matter how much she begged it to answer.

The ground climbed higher...higher...higher...the constriction in her chest expanded taking hold of every part of her. She whizzed with each breath she took. The loud yelling and grunting didn’t make focusing any easier. Then the ground was up to her neck. She breathed as if through a straw. Did the general call this ‘you’ll be fine’?

Her surroundings brightened so much she could see under closed eyelids. Her eyes shot open. Aang was in the avatar state. She struggled to scream his name but no sound came before the ground covered her from head to toe. Katara gasped for air, desperately clinging to her consciousness. The fear of being buried alive seized her insides and she had no fight left as the darkness took over.

She wasn’t sure how long it lasted. How long was she buried alive? How long was she out? Was this the afterlife? Breathing hurt but at least she could pull as much air as she wanted. Her eyes flattered a few times before staying open. She stared into the golden eyes of The Blue Spirit.

“Katara?” The Blue Spirit spoke her name in Prince Zuko’s voice. “Are you alright?”

A sound like a house collapsing shook the air. Katara sat up with his help. Aang was still in the avatar state, destroying everything in his wake. She wanted to yell at the prince for whatever possessed him to attack the general but she had no time. There were some things she couldn’t fix. Her plans were those things.

“I need to get...I need to,” Katara whispered with a hoarse voice. She cleared her throat a few times before she could speak. “I need to get Aang out of the avatar state and you need to run.”

“Katara…”

“Please. You need to run. You won’t get a better chance. Please go.” She took his hand and squeezed.

Another house fell as the avatar fought the general. They didn’t have time. She stood up with the prince’s help but let his hand go the moment she was steady on her feet.

“Are you alright?” he asked again.

She nodded. “I’ll be fine. Now, go.”

She didn’t wait for him to move, she sprinted to Aang. Scratch that. Wobbled to Aang until her joints and muscles remembered how to function. Yelling his name, she wrapped her arms around Aang’s legs. Katara whispered his name until she felt Aang relax and return to himself. She hugged him until both of his feet were on the ground and his tattoos no longer glowed. 

Over his head she could see Zuko standing on the wall that protected the outpost from the outside wall. The sun was behind his back, shrouding him in shadows. He truly looked like a spirit. A dark spirit. Regardless, she didn’t wish to part ways with him. He stood unmoving as if he didn’t wish it either. But the guards had taken a notice. She inclined her head, urging him to run. He gave her a slight nod before diving from the wall to the otherside... _ diving from a tall building twice in a row _ . It took all her power to stop the scream bubbling in her throat from escaping. Could he survive that fall? Would he jump if he wasn’t sure he could land safely? Had he gone completely insane down there? Was he wishing for the early end?

He was going to get an early end and then some once Katara got a hold of him. Would she get a hold of him? She took a shaky breath and shoved the thought to the darkest parts of her brain. 

_ Do me one last favor. _

Katara turned to Aang, steading him on his feet. She could hear Sokka’s sleepy voice in the distance. Although, the general was the loudest. He was celebrating his success. She looked around, taking in the damage. She wasn’t sure what was there to celebrate. Aang was going to hate seeing this.

She took the whistle from him and called Appa. 

“Men,” the general boomed. “Prepare for the journey to the Fire Nation! We have the avat--”

Thump.

The general fell on the ground. Sokka stood over his unconscious body. He glared at a nearby guard. “You are looking at me like you want some thumping. I don’t mind. I have a lot of catching up to do.”

The guard shook his head, lifting both hands in the air.

“Great! Then go get our begs. Katara, we are leaving right?”

She nodded, smiling at him. “Help me get Aang on Appa.”

The guard returned in a short while with all their stuff. Someone from the kitchen brought them two bags full of food supplies, more than enough for their trip to Omashu. With not much else to say, they left the outpost. They were flying away from the fortress when Katara looked back at the sport Zuko jumped from. A small laugh rose in her throat. There was a flag hanging over the wall. The flag didn’t reach all the way and the jump was still high but he would be able to land safely. He wasn’t a rookie. He was a survivor. He would be fine.

_ Do me one last favor. _

The thought she hadn’t apparently shoved back enough creeped out. Until now she hadn’t really considered this as a goodbye. She hadn’t looked at it as a pessimist. She realized until that very moment she believed he would follow her. He would be right behind them. She didn’t think he needed a reason to do so. Tears pricked her eyes. It didn’t matter what she thought, did it? He needed a reason and viewing things from his point of view he didn’t have any. He was free. Why would he come back? Why would he risk imprisonment? She hadn’t made him any promises she would help him. And help him with what?

_ Do me one last favor. _

The hope that she would see him in a matter of hours, maybe days, starved to death as hours and days turned into weeks. There was no sign of him or The Blue Spirit. Not that they stopped any place she could get an update on happenings. The little she heard from passersby here and there, told her nothing. No one knew anything about the prince or The Blue Spirit. As if both had vanished.

Even though all hope was gone, she couldn’t stop herself from looking back. Wherever they stopped and everything was ready for the night, she headed towards the tallest point she could reach and watched the road until it was covered in darkness. Once they entered Omashu it became impossible to continue. She wasn’t particularly fond of sewers. One time was one too many already. And the Fire Nation weren’t so fond of her that she could use the front gate. Or as clueless as they looked.

The only other option was to head to the upper side of the city where the elite resided. She couldn’t take that much risk. If she got caught, they would have another person to rescue. Aang was already determined nothing would stand between him and his earthbending teacher. So, Katara abandoned watching the road and relied on the newspaper. Every day there was no news about the prince or his second persona or his uncle she counted as a good day.

When they staged their grand escape from the city was the first evening Katara made her way to the top of the mountain that sheltered them. She sat on the grass, her feet dangling over the edge. She watched the infinite space in front of her. She couldn’t even see the road or distinguish anything really. It didn’t matter whether she saw him walking towards her or not, at this point waiting was familiar and she sought the familiar things.

Katara’s attempt to achieve calm wasn’t going well. She pulled on the tall grass shoot next to her thigh, then tugged another and another. Her movements fueled by the pent-up frustration. Where was he? Was he alive? He promised undying servitude!

“You’re bold, of course you don’t care! She’ll pluck my hair like that grass,” she heard Sokka’s not-at-all-contained whisper.

Katara looked at her hand and then at the growing pile of grass next to her. She sighed. Looking up at Sokka, she said, “What are you doing here?”

“We came to talk to you,” Aang said, before sitting down next to the pile of grass.

Sokka sat on the other side of her.

“I don’t want to be lectured,” Katara said, getting up.

Sokka’s hand shot out and stopped her. “We aren’t here to lecture you. We just want to talk to you.”

Taking a deep calming breath she sat back. They needed to talk. It had been weeks they needed to talk but she hadn’t found a way to break her silence. It wasn’t like they didn’t talk at all, they did. Even joked around. It was just not the usual. Something was missing. This conversation was missing. And she couldn’t put it off. She was somewhat prepared for it. Of course, Katara didn’t expect it to start on a good note. If they weren’t here to lecture her but just talk, then her plan may still work.

Sokka leaned over the edge to look down and scrambled back with a scream. “Yeesh!”

Aang laughed with her as her brother petted himself down to check for injuries.

“You travel on Appa almost every day. You can’t still be scared of heights,” she said to him.

“Appa will never let me down. This rock owes me no allegiance.” Once he concluded he was alright, he settled away from the edge. He spoke without accusation in his voice, “You didn’t tell us everything, Katara.”

She fell back on the grass and observed the luminous night sky. Some time ago, when she couldn’t remember, somewhere she couldn’t remember, she had read a sentence that stuck with her for reasons she couldn’t explain; no matter where in the world we are, we always look up at the same sky and see the same moon. The thought filled the bit of emptiness she’d started to feel after their father left. She carried it with her, knowing no matter the distance they were looking at the same place and seeing the same thing. Did the prince like to stargaze at night?

She had lots of time on her hand to think of stupid lines and thoughts she shouldn’t have. She fought and then gave up on lecturing herself. That’s when her brilliant idea was born. The only idea that wasn’t eliminated by logic. Before she could tell them her ideas, she had to tell them missing pieces she didn’t say. Starting with the identity of The Blue Spirit.

“What?!” Sokka was on his feet. “Did you help him escape? Why did he attack the general? When did he become the Blue Spirit?”

“If I remember correctly, you knocked the general out. Seems it doesn’t take a lot.”

“Katara,” said Aang.

She sighed. “Because of me. I think.”

She told them everything this time. Well… there were itty, bitty, tiny, minor details they didn’t need to know, but everything else she told them.

“Do you think he will be back?” asked Aang.

“He owes me undying servitude,” she answered, her chin jolting out defiantly. “And he agreed to repay it.”

“He did?” asked Sokka.

“He will be Aang’s firebending teacher,” she said with confidence and flawlessness of a well practiced phrase. Which she had practiced so many times words tumbled out of her mouth voluntarily. That was her brilliant plant. All those nights staring into the approaching darkness she spent thinking up a reason to give to Zuko to stay. Nothing withstood logic. Not until she was thinking about Bumi and how one day Aang would need a firebending teacher. That was right after she gave up on lecturing herself to give up searching for the reasons.

He had said he could never repay her but to Katara this seemed like a fair exchange. His agreement was secondary to Aang and Sokka; she had a feeling even if he didn’t want to, she could coarse him based on recent developments in their relationship. She was putting lots of faith in that feeling. Especially, when she no longer expected him to come back. Why were her plans never working out? What was she missing?

“He agreed,” Aang repeated her words like nothing in this world made sense. “My firebending teacher.”

She nodded, if not for how many times she had rehearsed this conversation she would fail because of lack of belief in her own words. “You need a firebending teacher and he is the best. Plus he knows more about the Fire Nation than anyone we could find.”

Sokka snorted. “And we all know he is such a kind-hearted selfless guy.”

Katara had heard Sokka’s comebacks in her head so many times, she was sure there was nothing he could say she hadn’t already thought. Which was how she stayed calm and kept her voice level, “Aang, do you remember when I told you it wasn’t me who wanted to save him?” 

Aang nodded.

“I think this is the reason. I think he is meant to be your teacher. I’m not asking you to accept it. I’m not saying to trust him. I’m asking you to trust my judgment as I’m trusting your judgment with King Bumi and give him a chance. If he doesn’t earn it, we’ll drop him in the desert.”

“You can’t sweet talk me with a murder, Katara,” said Sokka. “And why is no one asking about my opinion? Doesn’t my vote count? I’m more outraged than Aang!”

“And where is he?” Aang asked without looking her way.

_ Do me one last favor. _

“You don’t yet need a firebending teacher. We first worry about the imprisoned teacher we need.”

_ Spoken confidently by the most unconfident person in all the nations. _


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to do a long Zuko journey to have the angry and hot-headed prince we all love but halfway through I got bored. Sorry :D The up coming chapters are far more interesting and exciting and been calling my name. Also, I need me some fluff. I promise he will reach that state only differently and at a bit different point in the story. :) So I've cut corners and compressed his journey into a chapter for now. And to be honest the only thing that saved this chapter from delete button was a song. I had it on repeat when I rewrote this and somehow made me like it enough to post.
> 
> If you listen to music while reading, here is the chapter ten song: Gorillaz - The Pink Phantom ft. Elton John & 6LACK 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! And as always love hearing from you. :)

Zuko leaned his head against a tree, taking reprieve from the sun. With no energy left, he was doubtful he could move from the spot any time soon. He survived as long as he did just to die in the middle of nowhere with a blue face mask melted to his face. How many times was he going to stoop so low? He groaned as another wave of need to move his ankle hit him. He twisted it when he jumped from the wall. He had kept running without taking any rest. Even after he slowed his pace and took proper rest, his ankle kept swelling.

He had no food. No meds. No money. No map. And no allies.

Foraging in the forest of the Earth Kingdom didn’t yield enough food to sustain him. He seemed so far out of the civilization not a single person had crossed his path in more than a week he was travelling. He had been lucky with finding water up until… his mouth didn’t even remember the taste of it.

In the hours and days Zuko was buried under the Earth Kingdom and Katara didn’t return, he had time to put his life into perspective. Well, part of his life… Katara-part of his life. Once he did that, the rest of the pieces fell into their places. Down there he spent lots of time thinking about his time in the Spirit World, and surprisingly most of it about Admiral Zhao and the consequences of his actions. Zuko’s own life played on a loop still haunted his nightmares. Why was it he never saw his ridiculous actions when he was in the middle of it? Why did it have to sneak in his mind at the worst times and torture him with embarrassment? It wasn’t like he could change it! And why did he never learn anything from it? If he did, the amount of stupid decisions wouldn’t be this staggering.

Waiting for her, he had made every promise to every spirit as long as she returned. He was willing to do anything she asked, anything they asked, as long as she returned. He needed to tell her thank you. He never imagined she would come back covered in bruises. Or lose consciousness right in front of him. The following hours while listening to her breathing were one of the most agonizing moments of his life… like he didn’t have enough nightmares.

An angelic voice brought Zuko out of his reverie. At first he thought he imagined the sound. But it was getting louder and closer. Someone was singing about daydreams and rainbows shining through nine clouds. The voice was young and cheerful accompanied by a rattling of wheels on the dirt road.

Most of his body was hidden in the overgrown grass, but his shoulders and head were sticking out. He opened his eyes and watched the path that curved up the hill. Not a second later, a small figure pushing a cart came into his view and kept moving without noticing the prince. The voice belonged to a child, who couldn’t have been even ten. Zuko couldn’t tell if it was a girl or a pretty boy. But the clothing was definitely from the Earth Kingdom.

He thought of calling out, only to change his mind a moment later. What was the point? Why? While he was uncertain nothing helpful would come of it, his stomach had a different mindset. It growled so loudly the child froze in mid step. Calmly and slowly, the child turned around and jumped when their eyes landed on him. The cart abandoned, the girl dived in the grass on the other side of the path.

“Please don’t hurt me!”

Zuko would have laughed if he could. Relief washed over him. He preferred death from starvation rather than dying defenseless in a fight. After he didn’t respond with anything but the loud gurgling noises his stomach was making and didn’t move, the girl’s head popped up above the grass. Her large round eyes darted towards him before glancing at her cart. A few apples were on the ground, fallen from the bag that tipped over in her haste. His stomach gave a louder and angrier gurgle.

This gave the confidence she needed to jump out of the hiding spot. The girl placed both her hands on her hips and squinted at him. “If you aren’t a robber, who are you then?”

His mouth was dry as a desert sand. He could barely breathe. His stomach was the only capable speaker and it only spoke one word. The girl walked closer, not crossing the invisible barrier she herself drew between them. She walked alongside it until she could see him clearly. He thought her eyes couldn’t get any wider but he was mistaken. She apparently recognized his mask. Her hands flailed in the air for a moment, she pivoted and rushed to her cart. The girl muttered to herself too low for him to understand anything she said.

She emptied the fallen bag inside the cart and started repacking it, the muttering never ceasing. Once the bag was full again, she ran back. She placed the bag where her barrier was and fell on her knees.

“Are you here to save us?” she asked in a quiet tone. “My mom prays to the spirits every night.”

Zuko closed his eyes, unable to watch her bowed head. He still couldn’t talk. Was he still in The Spirit World? Was he stuck in some sort of sick loop of losing his ability to speak at the worst times? Was this how they chose to torture him? Was he to regain his honor by not talking? Come to think of it, perhaps it was better this way. The filter in his head was wrongly assembled, it only filtered out the few kind words he had. Even now, what was he going to tell the child? He wasn’t saving anyone any time soon? Or that even when he tried to save someone he ended up doing the utter opposite of it?

“I don’t pray to the spirits usually. It’s not like I’ve seen them do any good or help anyone,” she added defensively. There was silence so long, he thought she left. When his eyes opened she continued. “If you really are here to save us, I will change my attitude. I will pray with my mom.”

What did everyone around here think The Blue Spirit did?

In honesty, he would help her free of charge. Even with a bag of food, he was still in no condition to help anyone. His ankle needed to heal before he saved others. But his focus on the bag of food stayed unbroken. He could see a canteen. Zuko was ready to cry, only if his body had that much liquid. The prince to the most powerful nation crying over a canteen…

“Do I have to light a candle? Burn some incense sticks? Is there a ritual?” She reminded him of someone very much. “Should I leave? Will you answer my mom’s prayers?”

She asked more questions, never once coming closer to him. She too eventually left. She left because he couldn’t answer her and she got tired of waiting. The girl was barely out of the sight, he fell sideways and used the energy he had been gathering all this time to haul himself closer to the bag.

After he ate and slept through the day and night, he was well enough to sit up. If she was on foot and so young, both the place she came from and the place she was going were near him. He had little bit of food left, no water and no money, one way or another he was almost back to where he started. 

He knew he was feeling sorry for himself more than anything else. Even as a prisoner his life never became so low. He was acting hopeless.  _ He was hopeless _ . Zuko didn’t dare think what Katara would think of him or would do in his position, but he thought of his uncle. Only if Zuko had listened to his uncle’s teachings. Iroh once tried to show him what herbs to use for various injuries. The prince couldn’t comprehend what he needed the knowledge for. He had his men, his ship, and above all else he had himself, he would survive no matter what. How was he that arrogant?

He forced himself to get to his feet, balancing himself on one leg he reached up and held on to the lowest tree branch. Touching even the tip of his toe to the ground, brought waves of nausea and pain. He looked around him. He knew he couldn’t give up. Not while he was given a chance. He devoured the rest of the food and used the little strength he collected to break off a branch. He used it as a makeshift crutch and tentatively took a step. The first few steps were teeth-grinding. His jaw was hurting from clenching it by the time he was on the road. He looked both ways, where the girl had come from and where she had gone.

Was he really at a crossroads? Was this part of it? A test? He hadn’t given his word but he did eat the offering. In a way that was accepting, wasn't it? The choice he made now mattered. Spirits or no spirits, Zuko had never broken his word. His word was all he truly had. A mask didn’t change that. He also didn’t like owing anyone anything. A mask didn’t change that either.

How could there be a different destiny for him? Why? Were the spirits afraid he could take the avatar down? He grinned. The pain momentarily forgotten. Then he remembered his hopeless state and gave a frustrated scream in his mind. He owed Katara. He made a promise to her as well. And he broke it. He promised her he wouldn’t fight the avatar and once again he acted without much thinking. Would she forgive him?

His single-minded desire to catch the avatar and join his father now left a bitter taste in his mouth. The more he had thought of his childhood and the interactions with his father, sicker to his stomach Zuko had felt. Rage was building inside of him one memory block at a time, hatred seeping through the cracks. He no longer craved the man’s affection or acceptance, instead he wanted his father’s fear. Zuko wanted to see him on his knees, begging for forgiveness. That’s how he wanted to take what was rightfully his.

Was that one of the roads he could take? Would it include Katara? Unlikely. She wouldn’t stand for that. Could he really choose a road that didn’t include her? How could a girl stand between him and his future...all he ever wanted?

_ Maybe because now all you want is Katara. _

_ Shut up _ . 

Did she leave because he didn’t answer? Did she  _ leave  _ that place? Was she mad? Was she alright? The Spirit World and damnation, could he stop thinking about her so he could maybe focus on himself? Even getting out of the cooler was solely to check if she was alright. What had she done to him? The further she moved, the deader he felt. The connection between them becoming buried under the layers of distance. How far before he lost his mind?

He wanted to believe badly that he was enchanted by some waterbending magic. He couldn’t believe it because it would be unfair to Katara. It was all her, she was incredible like magic. How could he stop thinking about her? How could anyone? That last thought made his nostrils flare. Further indication how far she had crawled under his skin.

He made a slow and unsteady journey towards the girl’s village. No one met him but the mask remained on his face. He crawled into the first burn he saw as he approached the small village at the foot of the hill he just scaled. He drank water from the first place he saw and slept on hay. He found medical supplies during one of his prowls when the village went to sleep on the third night he spent hiding in the burn. Lucky for him, he had broken enough bones and damaged enough parts of himself to spend time in infirmaries. He recognized some of the bottles and took stuff to reduce his fever.

He slept deep in hay and came out only to scavenge for food. The village was so poor the few apples he stole tasted rotten to him. Between his sleeping sessions he trained. He lost the count of days by the time his ankle healed and he could finally walk again. In the time he spent in the burn, he learned one thing about the villagers--they mustn’t ever find out he was a firebender. No matter what he would do for them, his origins wouldn’t be forgiven.

Instead of waiting for the Fire Nation soldiers to arrive, he left the village and sought them himself. As if taking the lid off a boiling pot, the rage inside him filled the space with steam. By the time he was done taking it out on the soldiers, nothing was left to clean up and he didn’t even need to use firebending. Maybe it wasn’t the right way to start the new chapter in his life but it was the only way he knew.

The word spread about a certain blue spirit answering to prayers and offerings. The prince found himself hunted. No road he travelled was safe now. Before no one had met him to save his life, now he couldn’t get rid of people. He didn’t complain. It was better than begging for scraps. He hated to admit it but beating up the bad guys instead of good for a change felt like a breath of fresh air. To be liked rather than disliked was something new to Zuko. He wasn’t entirely comfortable in his own skin as if it belonged to someone else. Perhaps the reason he rarely removed the mask even when alone with himself.

Of course, he never went out without his mask and avoided direct contact with his nation because his face was plastered in every Fire Nation village. Both he and his uncle were wanted. Zuko travelled through the Earth Kingdom villages, most ravaged by the Fire Nation as he searched for his uncle. But there was no sign of Iroh. Had he changed his identity as well?

He finally traced his uncle. His new identity had become an old beggar. But someone recognized his face on the wanted poster and pointed him in the right direction. He was travelling to the opposite direction of Omashu. Was she feeling the growing distance at the same physical level he felt? 

Iroh was crouching in the middle of the road, his back to Zuko, when he found him. That wasn’t really the strange part. Zuko moved cautiously closer. His uncle was surrounded with royal guards. They were watching Iroh but hidden from his sight, their stance ready to rush into battle. Zuko’s eyes moved over their surroundings. They were waiting for something. Something in their view.

A figure detached herself from a tree and sauntered towards Uncle.

Azula.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instagram: @katberry_writes


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know their ship isn't big. I know nobody wants it. I know no one asked for it. But you are still getting it because I want it. Since I started writing their stuff, I've been continuously zoning out and getting lost in their chemistry. Unfortunately, no matter how much I try I can't do justice on page to what's in my head. I'm just hoping because you can't compare you'll still enjoy this version. My heart is flopping around my desk I'm so nervous about showing you this, so please let me know what you think. :)
> 
> A song played a big part of writing this chapter too. And it's my first K-pop song! Actually I had two songs were on a loop when I was writing it:  
> BLACKPINK - Lovesick Girls  
> Las Aves - N. E. M.
> 
> Happy reading!

Azula detached herself from the tree she was leaning against and sauntered towards Uncle Iroh. The old man was still oblivious of her presence, talking to a flower. He had been squatting in that position for a long time for someone his age. Azula was afraid she would see him dead before she saw him rot in prison. She finally found him, she didn’t plan to let him escape her that easily.

“Hello, Uncle,” she said cheerfully. “It’s so good to see you.”

Uncle Iroh looked over his shoulder and grinned. His face was covered in red welts. Which were growing and swelling in front of her eyes as if alive. Her lip curled in disgust taking a step back. Why couldn’t this man do anything the right way? He couldn’t even get captured right. Azula shook her head. Why was he still smiling?

“I guess a deadly poison it is,” his cheerful voice matched hers. “But these gems right here.”

Azula sighed and waved for her guards to come forward. They detained Iroh, getting rid of whatever new poison he was about to ingest. Should she just let him die? The thought crossed her mind more than once. But Azula craved her father’s affection more than his anger. Iroh couldn’t die in her possession. She followed her guards as they dragged her uncle towards the ship.

A healer met them before they reached the shore. She wrung her hands, avoiding eye contact with Azula. The experience told the princess she wasn’t going to like what the healer had to say.

“Uh, umm, Princess… Your Highness…”

“You are losing years as my uncle loses his minutes, use your time wisely.”

“Princess, we don’t have a cure for it,” the words rushed out of the woman and then she drew back from her.

Azula had expected there may not be a cure, not that there was a cure and they didn’t have it. “I see. But there is a cure, am I understanding it correctly?”

“P-P-princess...”

“I’m glad you are aware of my title. Was that what I asked?”

“There is a cure, but the Fire Nation doesn’t have it.”

“Let me guess, the Earth Kingdom has it?”

The lady took another step back, her lip quivering. In Azula’s opinion that wasn't an appropriate amount of fear to what she was feeling at that very moment.

“Can you explain it to me because I’m having trouble comprehending your words. In hundred years we failed to procure a cure to the wildly available deadly poison? Is that the best excuse you have?” 

“I-I...”

“Oh no.” The princess smiled. “Of course, I don’t blame it on you.”

Her shoulders relaxed.

“Although,” continued Azula, a plan forming in her mind. She needed to send a message and she needed to teach this woman and her colleagues a lesson. She thought combining the two was the most efficient. “I don’t need to find out what other knowledge you lack. You are already useless to me.”

With a lift of a hand, the woman was removed from her eye-sight. Azula stood frozen as she gazed at the horizon. She knew what she needed to do, what she must go to save her uncle. There was only one place she could go… there were other places she could go...but, really, in the end, she only wanted to go to one place. She worried her lip as a strange excitement clawed at her stomach.

Azula straightened her uniform and marched towards her ship. The Crown Princess preferred to keep her brain perfectly compartmentalized and organized. She wouldn’t admit she knew the exact number of days she hadn’t seen her. She was only going to her place for Iroh. It was the closest place she could go for a cure. The only people she trusted in the area. All the way to Omashu, her brain provided excuses.

The princess stilled herself, her face mask of indifference as she descended from the ship. Mai’s parents greeted her but there was no sign of her friend. She wasn’t used to disappointment. Not to say twice in one day. Mai knew how much Azula hated her disregard of etiquette. Where was she? Was she sick?

“Please accept our apology, your Highness,” said Mai’s father. “You see, our son is missing and none of us have been ourselves. Mai hasn’t left her room. I’ll have someone bring her instantly.”

“No need.”

Mai’s mom led her towards her bedroom. Moaning about her lost kid. Azula tuned out the lady, focusing on her control over her emotions. When they bounded the corner on the second floor, both sides of the walls were lined with stacks of books. Azula’s lip curled into a smile. The memories of their dorm in the Royal Fire Academy came to her mind; columns of books pressed together keeping each other upright covered all available surfaces when Mai’s boredom hit the highest levels. She even read the most boring books.

Azula hadn’t minded putting up with it. She felt comfortable in Mai’s personal space. Or minded helping her hide everything when the room inspection came. For Ty Lee it provided a personal obstacle course so she didn’t mind either. Even though Azula had her own accommodations in the Academy, an entire tower all to herself, apart from a single night she hadn’t spent any other time in her bed. She preferred the crumbed space of Mai’s and Ty’s room.

They visited her room often, to hide forbidden books she and Ty managed to get for Mai. Or play games and consume alcohol. Azula never understood how she was talked into committing treasons on a monthly basis or how she had never reported either of them. It was as if everything that happened in the Academy happened to a different girl. And she stayed at the Academy when Azula left. There was no place for a girl like that in the house of the Fire Lord.

“Your Highness,” Mai’s mom bowed and left.

Princess Azula faced the closed wooden doors. Lightning moved between her fingers, releasing a little bit of tension from her shoulders. She didn’t allow herself to linger since Mai would have heard their footsteps as well as when her mother left. Azula pushed the double doors half expecting resistance from a lock. The doors swung open into a dimly lit room. The drapes were drawn together cutting off the daylight from the room. A lamp on the desk was the only source of light.

In the soft glow, she saw a figure with her back to the door sleeping on the four poster bed. Azula leaned her shoulder against the door framed and looked around the room. It was a large room, still small compared to her own chambers. Whatever new skill she was learning required lots of fabric, water and cool floral scents. Scraps and pieces of it strewn all around her room. It could be called clean only from the sheer power of maids. She couldn’t imagine how someone who studied at the Fire Academy would be this disorganized. Mai always managed to turn her room into chaos while Azula still woke up at the exact same time every morning with bells ringing in her brain.

A nail polish with a lid screwed half way down next to a piping hot cup of tea gave Mai away.

“Is this how you greet your princess?”

Any other person would have lost their head at this point. The Fire Princess didn’t quite understand why or when hurting Mai started to hurt her more. But after she realized she couldn’t treat her the same way she treated Ty Lee or anyone else. When they were children they played many dangerous games, she had never given a second thought to Mai’s wellbeing. Or even opposite, wanted to do harm to her. Perhaps she would find an answer if she hadn’t chosen to file those questions away. What difference did it make to know when it had changed?

Credit to Mai, she never outright defied Azula when under the public scrutiny. But in private she crossed all boundaries and tested her tolerance with determination. Azula could only retaliate by learning how to push the few buttons she had. And one of those buttons was the invasion of personal space. The princess didn’t view it as an invasion. How could she when she thought she owned everything? How could she when it was the only place she felt like herself?

Azula closed the doors and walked slowly towards the bed. She lifted one knee onto the mattress while her eyes traced the length of her slender figure. The longer she didn’t move, the more Mai’s back tensed in waiting. She got on the bed and fell backwards. Automatically, her hand sought the strand of Mai’s black hair. She wrapped it around her finger and let go, the strand slipped down her hand. She closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying the familiar feeling.

Mai sat up, back still to her, and moved to get off the bed. Azula’s hand shot out and grabbed the hem of her pajama. “Don’t.”

Mai sat rigid for a moment before returning back to bed, back still to her. Satisfied, Azula picked up another strand of hair and wrapped it around her finger before letting it caress her skin as the silky texture moved down her wrist. She repeated a few more times while staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t comprehend why anyone would want to paint anything on the ceiling. And why choose a nightmare? Azula eyed the fat naked babies and a half naked woman having a picnic next to a waterfall. She blinked a few times, craning her neck until she took all of it in. Where did anyone even get the idea? She hadn’t seen anything so creepy in her life.

How could anyone sleep under their gazes?

“You can stay at the palace while they repaint your room,” she said without thinking, “once we get back.”

“I wasn’t aware I was going somewhere,” she finally heard her voice, calm and cool. “And I painted a week ago.”

“You must be joking.” Azula shuddered the longer she stared at it. Soon she realized even when she closed her eyes, it was all she could see. “Why? How can you sleep here?”

“Peacefully.”

Not counting the creepy ceiling, Azula never felt this peaceful anywhere else. Not even in her own bed. Maybe especially in her own bed. It carried the mark of the heavy burden of her title and nights spent on scheming. Her time in the Academy had been the only time she had known a good night’s sleep. Something about Mai’s personal space silenced the ceaseless turmoil in her brain. She sunk deeper into the bed, moving closer to her warmth. She played with Mai’s hair until she had replenished some well that was drained in the month she hadn’t done it. She was sure at some point she snoozed off. Mai remained lying on her side.

Azula didn’t know how long it had passed since she entered the room. Probably it was past midnight. She knew no one would come this way. Not even to call them for dinner. Everyone in the Fire Nation had learned to understand and obey her silent commands. She was hungry but unwilling to move. She would rather not disturb the calmness between them. She would probably stay that way for the entire night but she knew Mai wouldn’t. Her body was relaxed but she still hadn’t faced Azula.

“I missed you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instagram: @katberry_writes


	12. Now I'm a chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update:  
> Guess who's back. Back again... Hi guys! I hope everyone is doing fine and staying safe. <3 So, I did it. I wrote 50k in 30 days. Some days I rock! I also wanted to say thank you, knowing you were out there motivated me to read it all right after NaNo ended. The past four years what I wrote in November I read it in July. This is the first time I started working on it right after I wrote it. I swear I spent last three weeks editing the next few chapters because I changed the formation and it ruined the flow which I couldn't get it back anymore, that's why it has taken me so long to update. At this point I just need to let it go and move on.
> 
> Here is some trivia: the fic is 86335 words, 306 pages, and thirty-one chapters. I'll try to post regularly, not necessarily on Tuesdays. Some chapters need more editing than others and basically depends on how much time I have. I don't want to spoil anything but...ah..it went bonkers. I'm not sure if I always planned to go that way or I needed words and it was providing but boy did it go bonkers. Hold onto your seats is all I mean. :D Don't get me wrong I love it but still. Oh and it seems it's utterly endless. I hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you think.
> 
> Chapter 12 songs:  
> Adele - Rolling in the Deep  
> Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me
> 
> READ ME FIRST:  
> Hi guys! I'm sorry it's been taking so long with the updates but I can tell you that I'm doing NaNoWriMo with this fic and at the end of November there will be 50k content. I hoped I would be able to keep updating but it's not going that great and I'm sort of exhausted (and scared of your opinions as well). I realized it's been a really long time since you guys got some Zutara and I wanted to apologize with a teaser from chapter sixteen (at the moment). It's the only bit I can share without spoiling anything since you know it had to happen and kind of...sort of picks up where we left off with Katara.
> 
> I don't exactly know when but I promise I'll be back with lots of Zutara/Maizula content in December. If I don't remind me you are out there waiting for them! <3 Send some love and a few braincells if you can spare. :) Happy reading!

* * *

“I missed you,” Azula repeated.

Mai opened eyes and stared at the heavy drapes tracing the patterns. Often, the people closest to her mistook her lack of interest in the general scheme of living as inability to feel. But she had felt it all, examined it logically, and found it rather pointless. Maybe there was a point to life and hope but it was rather pointless to her. If she couldn’t be herself, what was the point in being someone else and hoping one day she wouldn’t be despised for her love capabilities? She was satisfied with the fact that she didn’t want to live as someone she wasn’t, like everyone seemed to do, and opted out to watch life pass her by from the sidelines. Sure it was boring, but better than daydreams and constant disappointment.

Azula was that one chink in her armor. Besides her, no one was capable of walking on her nerves. No one else provoked her or brought out emotions she had buried deep. Like an infection, she got into her system and no matter what she tried there didn’t seem to be a cure for it. But Mai managed to keep her at arms length, letting Azula believe she felt nothing. It wasn’t entirely a lie. She never dwelled on the things she couldn’t have. She hardly ever allowed herself to think about Azula during the time they were apart, and spent the time they were together struggling not to.

Despite years of sleeping in the same bed and Azula’s determination, she had kept their physical interactions to a bare minimum. Then on the last night at the Academy, the princess had managed to push all of her buttons at once. She wasn’t even sure when she had gotten so many buttons to begin with, but nevertheless Mai had finally reached her limit. She didn’t come to her senses until the next morning and by then it was all too late. She had plunged her life into a bowl of complications. And there was no way to return to the ‘before’. 

Memories she kept locked up smashed into the iron gate, trying to claw their way out. She squeezed her eyes shut, multiplying numbers in her mind to keep focus. It was all futile. The past few months had shown her just how complicated her life became when her thoughts hardly left Azula. She convinced herself it was all to be prepared for this very moment. But the moment her ship docked at the shore, Mai realized nothing could prepare her. Apparently, before that night feeling nothing was the easiest thing she had to do.

“I missed you,” Azula repeated for the third time.

“I heard you.”

“And?”

“And? What do you want me to do about it?” 

“Tell me you missed me too and mean it.”

“I missed you too,” Mai said and meant it. Whether she thought of her or not, it never stopped her from missing her. And she never lied to Azula. It only led to more trouble. That didn’t mean she never amplified or downplayed events but she never outright lied to her.

“Was it so hard?”

“I’m certain ‘happy to see you’ will finish me off.”

Azula snorted. “I’m surprised you can use ‘happy’ in a sentence.”

After a long minute passed in silence and Mai still didn’t speak Azula went back to playing with her hair, making ringlets and arranging them on her own shoulder. Why couldn’t she make herself get up? She had to face her, what could delaying it change? Not to say, her hands were stuck in an awkward position and the tingling sensation was maddening.

“I need your help,” Azula spoke softly as if sensing Mai was about to move. “Look at it as a rescue from the utter boredom this place oozes.”

Another long minute passed in silence. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to her but Mai was just unsure how to proceed. She needed to take stock and plan her moves.

“What if I tell you it’s not what you think it is.”

Mai blanked. _It wasn’t? How could it not be?_ “You don’t know what I’m thinking.”

“I don’t need your help capturing your boyfriend,” Azula said, arrogantly.

Not many things evoked strong emotion in her but the reminder of Zuko’s status never failed to bring bitter taste to her mouth. It was another secret she kept. Another piece of her life that didn’t fit her. She should have never brought him into this. Knowing that now changed nothing. Back then she had been a child. And later it didn’t really matter.

_And now..._

Mai rolled off the bed like she could run from her thoughts. Her hair slid out of Azula’s hand, meeting no resistance. Without glancing at her, she straightened her clothes and went back to the chair. She sipped the tea and examined her fingernails in the candlelight. As expected they looked like they were dipped in black paint and smeared around. Probably the bed sheets were ruined. Not that it would be the first time or the last.

Mai might have preferred the sidelines but she never missed the opportunity to rebel. Her rebellions against the norm were never loud but once she stood up she didn’t always know when to back down either. Her black nails had been a hot topic in the Academy. Making this far with her head intact on her shoulders was because of her relationship with Zuko and Azula. She suspected the reason she got away with more than the most was due to Azula rather than Zuko. She always wondered what the Fire Lord exactly knew about his daughter but something stopped him from throwing Mai to the deepest, darkest place the Fire Nation had for what they considered anomalies.

“Aren’t you curious what it is?” Azula asked.

“Not particularly. Now that you heard my answer, will you be on your way?”

Azula chuckled but didn’t say anything else. Mai frowned, unable to gauge her mood. What was she up to? What did she need her help with if it wasn’t about Zuko? Was she playing with her? It wasn’t like Mai didn’t expect that. She was surprised it had taken this long for Azula to barge back in her life. Especially the way they left things. Mai had been sure the princess would find a way to coerce her into some scheme, forcing her to spend time together. But after months had gone by without a word, she had slowly started to believe she might have misjudged Azula. _Like she ever listens to reason and takes no for an answer._ Sometimes Mai stunned herself with her own naivety. 

“I’m sorry if I made it sound like you have a choice,” the princess spoke from the bed.

“I always have a choice,” Mai matched her dark tone.

“If you are worried about your brother, we’ll rescue him together while we wait for Ty Lee.”

Mai closed her eyes. She should have really watched her wording when she wished for some excitement in her life. This wasn’t the sort of excitement she had in mind. If Ty Lee was coming, helping Azula became inevitable. One way or another, for one reason or another, she would be dragged into her scheming. And as long as they breathed the same air, Azula would insist on sleeping in her bed and sticking to her side at all times. Even herself, Mai was unsure what she would do this time once she reached her limit again. Was that Azula’s grand plan? Not that it didn’t end in her favor previously.

Letting out a small sigh, she reached for a cotton ball to wipe the paint before replying, “I didn’t ask for help.”

The bed creaked as the princess got up. Mai’s head turned to the side as if compelled. From the corner of her eye she watched Azula saunter towards her. Lips set into a smirk and eyes the color of lava. The Crown Princess had as many mood swings as the stars in the sky. Mai had the pleasure of making acquaintances with most of them. Found her own ways to deal with each one. Found her reasons to love each one. But out of all, the dark and unpredictable one never failed to invite her desires to come out and play...

_...thirty-nine...seventy-eight...one hundred and fifty-six...three hundred and twelve...six hundred and twenty-four…_

Azula stopped behind her, grabbing the back of her chair and spinning her around all the way. She leaned in, eyes darting around her face for a second. Staring up at the princess Mai’s heart flipped in its ribcage, waking from the slumber. She couldn’t help herself as her own features softened. Caught in her snare, she tilted her head closer. “Is this meant to scare me, Princess?”

To her surprise a knowing smile spread on Azula’s face as she reached out and trailed a finger down Mai’s arm. “Isn’t that why goosebumps cover your skin?”

As if dosed with cold water, Mai came to her senses. She grabbed Azula’s wrist and squeezed, moving her hand away. “How short do you want to cut your visit?”

Azula grinned completely unfazed. She straightened and hopped on the table next to her, while her wrist remained in Mai’s grasp. With the free hand she picked up the cup and sipped the tea. “You can keep lying to yourself but you can’t lie to me anymore.”

Mai’s hand tightened.

“You started this game, I’m just learning the rules.”

“Not necessary. In a minute you will be on your ship, sailing away,” she replied calmly, yet inside her the turmoil built. This was an uncharted territory for both of them and she couldn’t allow Azula to set the rules. 

“Your confidence is inspiring, Mai.” Mai let go but before she registered what happened, Azula had grabbed her hand and pulled it in her lap. “This isn’t going to end the way you think it will.”

Mai relaxed back in her chair as her hand flipped palm up in her lap. Now she held Azula's hand. Pads of her fingers moved in lazy circles against her skin. Azula took a sharp breath, eyes widening. Maybe Mai spoke too soon, maybe this was her favorite version of Azula. The one who dissolved into unsureness at her touch. The one who seemed too starved to care about appearances. Azula’s breathing became uneven as her eyes moved downwards to stare at their hands.

In the before, she denied Azula love. In the now, she had to offer it?

Mai turned Azula’s hand and dropped the cotton ball she was holding in her open palm before she let her go with a caress. Keeping her face blank, Mai splayed her fingers over Azula’s thigh and waited patiently. The princess didn’t look at her as she picked up the small bottle containing alcohol and dubbed the cotton. She gently wiped the black paint from her thumb. She had soaked the cotton ball too much. Like she always did. Alcohol ran down between their fingers, ruining Azula’s pants. Like it always did.

Mai couldn’t take her eyes off of her. She wouldn’t be able to survive her. How long would she be forced to spend time with her? This was already testing her limits. What did she need? What was Azula up to? Where was Zuko? She had heard nothing of him. She knew he was inseparable from his uncle, so why was Iroh alone? Had Zuko hidden from Azula? How?

Mai only had a few minutes to talk with her servant before the princess was marching towards her bedroom. She knew Iroh was poisoned with something deadly from the Earth Kingdom and they didn’t have a cure for it but nothing more. Who poisoned Iroh? It wasn’t Azula’s style, she knew that much. Not to say, the old man had his share of enemies.

if she wasn’t here because of Zuko, what else could it be? Was the cure that brought her here? She didn’t believe it would be that easy. Why did it feel like it fell on her to make sure the princess didn’t do anything the world was going to regret? Had anyone asked if she wanted the job? She didn’t. She groaned internally. It wasn’t that Mai didn’t have all of those questions or that curiosity wasn’t burning her, she just didn’t want to give her the satisfaction.

Azula’s entire attention remained on her nails. She was bent at the waist, rubbing the cotton ball back and forth until all traces of the paint were gone before she moved to the next nail. Once she was done, she looked up and smiled at Mai. “Now the other one, please.”

“What do you need my help with?”

Her smile turned into a smirk. “I thought you didn’t want to know.”

“I don’t but you aren’t leaving no matter what I want, are you?”

“The other hand, please.”

Mai observed her in silence.

“The other hand, Mai.”

“Did your army retire?”

“I’ve repeated myself three times, for the second time today.” She looked at her pointedly. “Later don’t tell me I didn’t ask nicely.”

Mai tilted her head to the side. “Stay out of my business and I’ll help you.”

Azula grabbed her chin and brought her face closer with wet fingers, the smell of alcohol making Mai wince. “This isn’t going to end the way you think it will. You keep making me repeat myself and my patience wears thin.”

She leaned into her touch. “Won’t it?”

“Don’t forget now I know you can’t allow yourself to harm me or love me, how long you think you can keep this up?”

The princess had misunderstood her. A cold smile spread on Mai’s face. “Try me, Princess.”

Whatever Azula read on her face must have been in the perfect alignment with her thoughts because she retreated. She let her chin go and grabbed her hand as if afraid Mai would move it from her thigh.

“We aren’t negotiating over anything. You are coming with me and I’m rescuing your brother. We don’t have to wait, if you want we can go find him tonight.”

This was exactly why she didn’t want her involved. While Mai might have loved unpredictable Azula the most, she never claimed that version of her was that great. Especially as a partner in a rescue mission. She wouldn’t let anything go wrong but with Azula there she couldn't make sure. She considered everything from putting chains on her to poisoning her food. In the end, Mai concluded the only time she trusted Azula was when she could keep her eyes on her.

“The moment you interfere, Princess, I’ll be joining the Avatar.”

Her movements faltered before she regained her control, peering at her under the lashes. “Your wish is my command. Now your hand, Mai.”

Rolling her eyes, she let Azula pull her hand to her lap. “If it’s not Zuko or Iroh, what do you need my help with?”

Smiling triumphantly, Azula held her gaze as she picked up the small bottle with the black paint and shook it a few times. Then her attention returned to her nails without uttering a sound. Just like while removing the paint, her focus was razor-sharp as she applied a new coat on the nails. Mai let the princess work. Her hands were steady and the movements well practiced from years of repetition. Just like playing with her hair, painting her nails had been like something Mai allowed herself to let Azula do rather than allowing Azula.

Mai didn’t know when she closed her eyes but they sprung open when the princess lifted her hand up to her lips and blew on the nails.

“Azula,” Mai said sternly.

“I want you to help me capture the Avatar.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't remember which song was I playing on this chapter but it was either:
> 
> Birdy - 1901  
> Massive Attack - Teardrop

* * *

Zuko moved between the trees, staying a safe distance from his sister while still keeping her and the ship in his view. They loaded Iroh but Azula stayed behind to talk to a woman. By the looks of it neither were having a delightful chat. The need to make himself known almost overrode the rational part of his brain. Not for the first time he was shocked to find he had a rational part. He thought it was the shock that kept him in place and had nothing to do with the fact he was in no shape to start a fight. To start a fight with Azula at that.

He watched as they dragged off the woman, leaving her alone. She seemed frozen in her place, shoulders tense. Was it so bad? If it made her worry how could it not be? Zuko stepped forward the same time as her shoulders fell in defeat and she moved towards the ship. He was now less sure it was about Iroh. He knew Azula better than that. She wouldn’t worry about him. What could make his sister nervous then? Was she going home?

Zuko left the tree line and ran down the shore. The ship had already sailed when he made it inside. Luckily, the Fire Nation princess’s ship was as enormous as her taste for luxury. Sticking to the shadows, he made his way downwards. With each level the light became dimmer and the corridors dingier as expected. He found a changing room which was completely deserted. Grabbing a uniform that looked his size, he quickly got out of the wet clothes.

His disguise must have looked better than he imagined because the moment he walked out wearing the stolen uniform, he was put to work and by the time the ‘shift’ ended he was too exhausted from shoveling coal around to find his uncle. The thick dust that had settled on him felt like a permanent edition to his body but his plans to head towards the showers to try and rub some of it off were halted by the incoming crowd. He was forced to follow the people heading out of work. They shuffled towards the dining hall as if a well-oiled machine. Zuko looked back, trying to see if there was a way to retreat but the corridor was packed. The crowd pushed him forwards allowing no other movements. They were at the basins when he found a place to slip through and hide until the place cleared.

Zuko left his hiding spot once he was sure everyone was eating and paying no attention to even the person who sat next to them. He moved towards the showers and stopped dead at the door to the servants stairwell. It was unguarded and open. He didn’t know why the door pulled at him but he was halfway up the ship before he knew he moved.

The living quarters were even quieter than the lower parts. He stood in front of Azula’s door without one obstacle in his way. He needed a plan and nothing was coming to him. Did he care either way? How many more chances would he get? How many more could he ignore? What if this was his last chance? She was so close. Unsuspecting. Right in his reach. The fire in his veins drove his actions. Zuko stepped forward and out of the shadows.

_ What happens after you take out your sister?  _ whispered the rational part of his brain.

Take out his sister. He couldn’t believe his chest felt like someone was sitting on it. He wasn’t exactly sure if it was the sister part or the take out part but something in that question stopped him in his tracks. Fighting with Azula could only end in one way. He had always known that. Why was he now hesitating? What were the other options?

Yet he wasn't the same. Going back home was a different matter now. A strange sensation awoke in his stomach, something surged inside and drenched the fire. He stumbled backwards, shaking his head to clear it. Thoughts flooded his brain. What would he do once he entered? What was next? Not tomorrow or the next day, what was the next step right about now? What was he doing? How would he get Iroh out? How would he get himself out? It wasn’t like he would suddenly become in command of her ship.

The doors to her room opened. He scrambled to hide behind a pillar. Azula appeared in the doorway, hair sticking to her face and eyes halfway open. She scanned the area with a yawn, moving over Zuko without a pause. It looked too easy. Once again he struggled with himself to stay hidden. 

“What is that smell?” she said, opening the door wider and stepping out.

His mask hanging on the wall inside the room was the last thing he saw as he melted back into the shadows and tiptoed out of her view. He didn’t relax until he had reached probably the bottom of the ship and was as far away from her as he could go. Standing still, he waited to see if anyone followed him. Water hitting the sides of the ship was the only thing he heard. Which was oddly calming. He took a few deep breaths, concentrating on the loud whooshing sound water made and found the fire that had built in him from hours of being around it draining out of his body.

He was forced to move when his stomach started to growl with hunger and he could no longer stay put. Zuko went to the kitchen but everything was closed and locked. Before he could stop himself, his foot made contact with the metal wall. His injured foot. When blinding pain shot up his leg and traveled towards his brain, he lifted his hand to beat the wall but luckily came to his senses. Instead he leaned his forehead against the cold surface, breathing through the pain. On top of all, now he couldn’t walk without limping either.

After roaming around and finding nothing to eat, he walked to the prison section and hid in one of the rooms. It wasn’t long before the continuous movement of footsteps drew him out of the hiding spot. The footsteps were coming from above him where the kitchen was. Too curious and too hungry to ignore it, Zuko followed the sound until he saw a group of similarly dressed people in one of the corridors.

Just like him, they were unwashed and looking exhausted. He slipped between them, keeping his head low. He grinded his teeth against the pain and tried to walk normally. No one would mistake his walk as normal. They passed the entrance to the dining hall, still very much closed, and they passed the entrance to the kitchen, again still very much closed and locked, and kept moving. They almost made a circle around the place before they stopped in front of a passageway between two rooms that you could never see if you didn’t know what to look for. One by one, without exchanging a word, they went through.

He was the last one. No one had questioned his existence. But no one seemed to question the other’s presence either. They had been walking with blank faces, not looking around. Was this a trap? Should he really follow? His stomach growled with urgency. Rolling his shoulders, he jumped in place a few times, preparing himself for a fight. Taking a deep breath, he went through the small corridor. They stood with their backs to him, still not paying attention to each other or him. But their faces had definitely switched from blank to relief.

They had stopped in front of a large metal hatch, which opened from the inside without any prompt. He almost wanted to ask why no one cared about his existence. He stepped through the hatch and drew up short, eyes darting around the dining hall. Wherever he looked there was a cluster of people chatting and smiling. They  _ smiled _ . Like they were happy or something. Did he fall asleep? Was this a nightmare? A delusion? He blinked a few times to check if it would disappear. Definitely not an illusion. Did they know whose ship this was? Weren’t they afraid? If he hadn’t seen Azula with his own eyes he would think she wasn’t on the ship. 

He stood by the hatch which was now closed but occasionally someone walked by and opened it, letting people in. How they knew was still unknown to him. He lowered the cap to cover his scar even more. discouraging everyone from lingering too long. A few passersby still tried to smile at him but largely he was ignored. The relaxed atmosphere was an utter contrast to the blank faces they all wore during the time he spent working with them. No one seemed to mind that some were still dirty from their duties and others were clean and neatly dressed.

“Here.” A shot glass appeared in his view.

Zuko’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. What was this? Did they know who he was? He took the glass to stop them from staring at him rather than planning to drink it. He brought it to his nose and sniffed it. The sharp smell of alcohol made him cough. The other guy laughed. He glanced at him under his cap. He looked a few years older than him or maybe it was the buzzcut that made him look older.

“What is this?” Zuko asked despite warning himself not to speak.

“New here?” he asked, tilting his head to the side to get a look at him. Zuko averted his face and spun around to go back the way he came from when the guy continued, “Wait. If you wait a second you’ll see what this place is.”

“Why do you care?” 

“I don’t.” He lifted his glass to Zuko and knocked back. Did the crazy guy want something from him? Did he know who he was? He couldn’t imagine anyone approaching him for any other reason. The guy wiped his mouth on the sleeve before he answered his silent questions. “Your uncle says don’t do anything stupid and see me when we get to Omashu.”

Zuko was stunned. He expected everything but his uncle’s name to come out of the guy’s mouth. When he came around it was too late. The guy was gone. The only trace he existed was the glass Zuko still held. He wanted to go after him but the people in the room had shifted closer to each other, blocking his way. A bell chiming stopped his movements.

Zuko looked around with a frown as all conversations ceased and the crowd shifted even closer to each other and towards the center, where a small space remained clear. The bell was joined by a deeper sound and then by another and another, then someone somewhere started humming. He stared mesmerized as people pulled out makeshift instruments from their pockets or under the tables. And if they didn’t have an instrument they made sounds using their mouths.

Did his sister know this was happening on her ship? 

Zuko remained there longer than he intended. Partially to see how it would progress, partially to find the guy who delivered Iroh’s message. After he had walked all corners searching for him he gave up. The place was too packed. And he drew attention by moving around. Making sure no one was looking at him, he slipped out when another group left and headed towards his hiding spot. Why did his uncle need to be always dramatic? Was it really him? Or was it another sick game his sister wanted to play? 

He was too impatient to stay still when he knew nothing of Iroh. Why Omashu? Why was Azula going to Omashu? What was there for her? Questions circled his mind as he paced around. He didn’t kid himself. He knew he was restless mostly because Katara was in Omashu. It had been weeks. They couldn’t still be there could they? He couldn’t believe he was almost wishing they had already moved on. But the internal compass told him, he was heading straight for her.

A door squeaked open. He spun around the same time as something zipped passed his ear and another hit his leg. He was able to avoid the next one but the two after sunk right into his chest. He stepped forward, blinking rapidly. Drowsiness and nausea crept inside him at the same time as his legs gave out and he fell forward. Hands grabbed him but he barely felt anything.

Zuko woke up in utter darkness with a pounding headache. He wasn’t sure if the smell of mildew was the cause of his headache or whatever made him mouth dry and limbs numb. It took a long time before he could sit upright. After his eyes got used to darkness he could make out shapes of things in the room. He was glad to know he hadn’t lost his sight. Fumbling around, he found bottled water and a sandwich. Not caring about anything, he tore through the sandwich.

Once again he found himself locked in total darkness. Was this some sort of destiny? Were the Spirits trying to tell him something? He wasn’t sure how long it passed but one thing was certain he was nearing wherever Katara was. The connection between them felt like someone was pulling the invisible cord and the closer he had gotten stronger the cord pulled. He had never felt such relief in his life. He hadn’t even known what relief was until the weight from his shoulder was lifted. The weight that the distance between them had created.

In the time he spent locked in that room, a door opened in the ceiling and someone dropped food and water a few times. He assumed it was his uncle’s doing because Azula wouldn’t have bothered with niceties. Not to say, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from gloating. He didn’t care if Iroh was trying to protect him, he was going to get out of there when the doors opened the next time. There were no stairs but by now he knew where the door in the ceiling was. He waited right under it, which proved unnecessary.

The ship docked, he assumed in Omashu.

He waited with his heart in his throat. What if they forgot him? How long did he wait before he blasted this stupid ship open. He didn’t have to wait that long. The door opened and a wooden ladder slid down. He was climbing it before it hit the ground but when he pulled himself out of the hole there was no one in the room. Zuko didn’t waste time looking around and ran for the exit.

The current uniform would no longer do but he didn’t have time to shower or change into a guards uniform. He needed to follow Azula. Luckily everyone was too occupied with docking and disembarking the ship to notice him. He got off at the first chance he had and followed her from a distance. He was torn when Azula separated from the guards and went another direction than they were taking Iroh.

Once Zuko saw his uncle’s there was no more hesitation, he followed them towards the prison. Iroh looked terrible. He wasn’t even sure it was his uncle. Hidden in a cupboard, he waited for the guards to take a break or do something so he could sneak past. He was on the verge to give up and just barge in when the window of opportunity came.

A servant took one of the two guards, and a few minutes later a girl came and distracted the guard left behind enough for Zuko to move undetected. He all but stumbled into the prison. Iroh grinned when he saw him before it twisted into grimace. With socked hands, Iroh was scratching himself raw.

“Uncle.”

“You look worse than I do.”

“Sorry to steal your thunder. Why have they not cured you yet?”

“Eh, my luck. We have no cure. But I’m sure your sister is working day and night to find it.”

Zuko only shook his head as he eyed the metal bars. He could blow it open. The hours he spent around the fire didn’t just charge him up but even suppressed the weird feeling in his body. He couldn’t yet identify what it was but it felt like waves crashing into him. Maybe getting rid of extra energy would be even good for him. Dealing with the noise was his biggest problem. He couldn’t take on Azula on her ship and in a city full of the Fire Nation guards it was impossible.

“I’m breaking you out.” He was just not sure yet how.

Iroh glared at him. “You’ll do no such thing. Do you think I can’t break out if I wanted to?”

“Why haven’t you if you can? You know Azula. You can’t stay here.”

“Zuko, listen carefully,” Iroh said in a serious tone. In a tone that promised a lecture. He was rarely in the mood to hear lectures. Now wasn’t exactly the time for one. He was about to wave his uncle off when the old man grabbed his hand. “You need to listen to me. You can’t trust a word Azula says. You mustn’t listen to her promises. Do you understand?”

“What does Azula want to promise me?”

“Didn’t you hear what I said? You can’t trust her no matter what she says.”

“Why do you think she will catch me?”

“Because you aren’t good at using your brain.”

“Maybe you don’t need to be rescued after all,” Zuko said, removing hand from Iroh’s grip and crossing his arms.

“Thank you, my dear nephew. That’s all I’m asking. Everyone needs to stay put.”

“Did you send some guy to me? Why was I locked up?”

“Why do you think you aren’t captured? Now that you know I’ll be fine, get out of here. Preferably without encountering your sister. And if you do, remember, no word she says is to be believed. Promise me you won’t listen to her.”

“You aren’t fine,” Zuko said with a sigh. “And I’m not making any promises.”

Iroh’s eyes narrowed. “I hoped you had changed after everything you went through.”

“I have,” said Zuko. “But I never intend to make promises I don’t want to keep. How do you know what I went through?”

He wasn’t making promises because he didn’t know what Azula could offer him. Now he was too curious not to hear her. Which didn’t mean he wanted to believe her, he just wanted to know what it was. And he didn’t want to make a promise to his uncle because he was pushing him and as always Zuko stubbornly opposed. Iroh’s glower turned into a smile.

“Indeed you have changed. How is Katara?”

“What?! I don’t know what you are talking about.” Zuko almost choked on his own breath. He tried to change the subject. “Why is Azula in Omashu?”

Iroh sat on the ground, continuing scratching without a pause. “Where have you been, living in a well?”

“That sounds more luxurious than the places I’ve lived the last couple of weeks. What did I miss?”

“You won’t believe who was assigned here.”

Zuko had a bad feeling about this. Which didn’t disappear once he heard Mai’s name. Mai was in Omashu. Katara was in Omashu. Now Azula was in Omashu. What was next? End of days? He swiped his hands down his face a few times but it didn’t help him make sense of the world.

The footsteps outside made him move towards the shadows without saying another word to his uncle. He walked far enough to be invisible but close enough to see and hear everything. Mai appeared in the doorway, holding a tay. Zuko smiled at the sight of his friend. It had been too long since he last saw her. He wanted to move to her but something stopped him.

“Mai!” Iroh shouted brightly. “I had a good feeling I would see an old friend tonight.”

She smiled as she placed the tray on the floor and sat down in front of the metal bars. “Still like tea?”

“Is the sky still blue?”

“Dreadful color,” Mai said, mock-shuddering. She poured tea in the cup and handed it to Iroh who was chuckling. “How are you, Uncle?”

“I had a mishap with a deadly flower, otherwise life is splendid, my dear. I’m happy you came to visit me.” Iroh took a sip of tea and sighed in utter delight. “Good tea. Good tea. I hope you’ll visit me more often.”

He was sure Azula and himself were the only two people in the world who didn’t get along with Iroh. As unlikely as it seemed, Zuko knew Mai and Iroh were friends. They had bonding over a cup of tea and ever since she might have confided in him more than in Zuko. Which often pissed him off, since she was his only friend.

“So besides Azula, no one else is trying to kill you?” Mai asked, her eyes moving around the prison.

“Is Azula trying to kill me?”

“With her, who knows?” He saw her shrug. “Are the guards treating you well?”

“Respect for seniority in this nation is becoming a myth. Not everyone should be allowed to be a parent,” Iroh added on a louder note but there was no one to hear him.

“I’ll see what I can do about the guards.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m an old man. If I don’t have someone to dislike, what will I do all day?”

Chuckling, Mai filled up Iroh’s cup.

“So, did my niece send you?”

Was that the question he had been waiting for? When had he started doubting her?

“You know I wouldn’t have come,” she said. “But I can’t guarantee she isn’t eavesdropping.”

“Eh, one of them always is. Don’t think much of it.”

“What?” Mai’s sharp gaze searched the darkness but didn’t find him. “Is he here?”

He saw Iroh wave her off before gulping his tea. “What’s the plan then?”

“Capture both Zuko and the Avatar.”

“And your plans?”

Mai didn’t answer, still searching for him. Her frown deepened before she turned back to his uncle and observed him in silence. Zuko became uncomfortable, it took her so long to answer.

“Help Zuko.”

“And the avatar?” Iroh asked her to his surprise.

“I heard he has people to worry about him.”

“My nephew is an idiot,” Iroh said loudly, looking towards him.

“Nice, Uncle,” he said as he separated from the darkness.

Mai was on her feet and jogging to him the moment he spoke. He stumbled backwards as she smacked into him.

“Don’t you know I worry about you?” she asked him, drawing back. Then she gave him one more hug before letting go. “Sending me a letter or even just a card with ‘I’m okay, Mai’ on it won’t kill you.”

“I missed you too,” he told her with a smile. He wasn’t sure if it was the way Mai behaved herself or how Iroh always seemed to know everything, but they had never pretended to be anything other than friends in front of him. Zuko himself often forgot she had another status.

“You stink.”

“I hear it’s all the rage,” Zuko replied drily.

Mai took his hand and dragged him towards the entrance where the light was. She turned him around a few times, her eyebrows knitting. “You look different.”

“Are you making fun of me?” he asked incredulously.

Mai’s eyes darted towards Iroh before she muttered. “Definitely different.”

“I believe that’s the glow of finding the right path,” Iroh chimed from his cell. “I’m happy I can count on you to help him, Mai, otherwise I have no hope he will stay on it.”

“I’ll help you.” Mai first looked at him, then over his shoulder to his uncle. “But that doesn’t mean I will do anything that will harm her.”

“What will happen if you must choose?” Iroh asked.

“Why ask questions when answers are clear,” Mai replied with one of Iroh’s own wisdoms, making Zuko laugh.

He glanced at his uncle, who wasn’t scratching as much as he was a few seconds ago. He raised a brow at Mai. “Was that a cure?”

Mai’s lip turned up into a smirk. “Maybe I can get rid of your sister faster.” Her head cocked to the side to see Iroh. “No offence.”

Iroh was too happy to be offended. “Thank you, Mai.”

They started discussing his uncle’s rescue under said uncle’s protests. He wasn’t sure what to make of it but Iroh wanted to be Azula’s prisoner. Luckily, Mai agreed with him, they couldn’t allow it. She was telling them about her brother’s rescue mission and how it could provide a timeframe for the rescue when they heard noises outside. They scrambled out of the prison section. Mai offered to hide him until she could come and get them but Zuko had somewhere he needed to be...someone he needed to see.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song:  
> Fiona Apple - Across the Universe

* * *

“Look at him,” said Sokka. “Look at his face, he is turning summer away. When will you drop this?”

Katara sighed. She fell back on the grass and closed her eyes, letting the sun caress her face. The last question kept circling her mind. She wasn’t even sure how it had gotten so bad or how she had taken it so far. Just last night she wanted to blast everything into oblivion. She was becoming irritated by people smiling. Yet nothing of that anger she felt that morning. The sun shone brighter and birds chirped sweeter. She felt so happy and calm, she was ready to twirl and giggle. How had she been feeling as if the sky was about to fall on her head? Was the sun really brighter? Was that all that she needed to feel calm? 

“I mean he isn’t even here, why bring it up?” continued Sokka.

She didn’t need the reminder. Especially now that she was wrapped in a happy bubble. Thinking about it had previously made something inside her boil to the blowing-its-lid-off levels. Katara wasn’t sure why she was angry. She just knew she was angry and it was directed at him. She had tortured herself wondering if he really meant one last favor. What was with the whole ‘undying servitude’ thing then? Did he just tell her what she wanted to hear so he could escape? That couldn’t be could it? She wasn’t such a bad judge of character. He had been genuine, hadn’t he? Would she be surprised if he wasn’t though? Yesterday, the thoughts would have sent her in a fit of rage. Today, she had no doubt in her ability to correctly judge people.

“We can drop it,” she told him.

“Huh?! What about my speech? I have a whole speech prepared. I was thinking about it all night.”

Katara snorted. “I’m sure it was an owl snoring all night that kept me up.”

She was really up almost all night but it wasn’t because of the snoring. It was anticipation. She wasn’t really sure what she was anticipating but it was like she couldn’t wait for the first light to break the darkness. She convinced herself it was because of the plans they had that evening, but she became less certain as the night passed.

“Sheesh, what’s with the grin? Did a happy bug bite you?”

She reached up and touched her face. Yep. There was a smile. She schooled her features. Besides a happy bug biting her, she wasn’t sure what it could be. It was like she was having a long period and it abruptly ended with the promise of never coming back. Where was the anger that kept driving the people around her away? Why did she feel like all hadn’t been right in the world but now it was? What could have changed? Everywhere her eyes moved, she only saw despair.

It had been a few long days they were camping outside. But they couldn’t live on the edge of the cliff much longer. Less people than Katara expected gave up on the first day and left for Ba Sing Se. The remaining stayed faithful that they would return to their homes with the help of the avatar. That faith worried her. Especially, when it was an unrealistic expectation. She had made sure to explain it to the people but it either fell on deaf ears or people just stayed away from her.

“Are you sure you want to go alone? You can wait for us,” Sokka said when she still didn’t speak.

“I’ll be fine. It’s a simple plan.”

“I know, but now you are making me a little bit worried.”

She smiled at him. Throwing an arm around Sokka’s neck she drew him closer. How could she sometimes forget how lucky she was? She rubbed his head drawing groans from him as he struggled to get out of her hold.

“Not that worried! Not that worried!”

She laughed. “Thank you for being not that worried. I promise I’m fine. Plus, I’ve taken care of you all your life, Little Tom-Tom is a piece of cake in comparison.”

“What?!” Sokka said in indignation. “I was a responsible child. I basically raised myself. You can’t compare me to the one who kidnapped himself.”

Katara snorted. “Right.” 

“No way you raised me this awesome on your own,” he said, grinning at her.

She kissed Sokka’s cheek. “I’ll be fine.”

“I know, but it’s okay for me to worry.”

“I know.”

It was nothing to worry about really. They were trading Tom-Tom for Bumi. She was going to sneak into the city with Tom-Tom and spend the night. Aang, Sokka and Appa were going to help another group of people arrive safely at Ba Sing Se. They had been making the trips round the clock since they had deserted Omashu. She wished they would take a break but no one was really listening to her, maybe it was due to the lack of words when she communicated lately. If everything went according to plan, King Bumi would be free and everyone else given the chance to return home. Probably. Simple with absolute zero guarantee it would work.

“You two make sure you don’t do anything stupid, understood?”

Sokka saluted her.

“He is really adamant about this,” she said. “I’m worried about this exchange.”

“Well, you are adamant about yours and I’m sure it’s not helping his general mood.”

Katara watched Aang sulking far away from the campfire. Someone had brought him a bowl of food and even while eating his face was set in a pout, chewing his food as if to offend it. He had insisted he would never need or use firebending and stopped talking to her. On her part, she didn’t do well either. She had gotten so angry steam was almost curling out of her ears. She wasn’t sure how it had fired up inside her but suddenly they were yelling at each other. If not for Sokka she wasn’t sure how their friendship would survive it.

“He needs a firebending teacher, Sokka. Do you happen to know one?”

“Oh you met him, what, yesterday? Name dropping already?”

Katara smiled at the teasing tone his words took. “It’s not everyday one has a favor to collect from the Fire Nation prince.”

“Exiled prince.”

“Exiled or not, a prince is a prince and it doesn’t affect his firebending.”

“He says he won’t ever use it.”

Katara shrugged. “He doesn’t have to use it if he doesn’t want to. But he needs to master it. I thought you understood that.”

He sighed. “I do, but try convincing him.”

“I hope once he masters earthbending, he will be more peaceful.”

“Or you discuss feelings with him.”

“Sokka,” she said in exasperation. She wasn’t discussing anything with anyone.

“Alright. But you can’t go without talking to him.” He waved a finger at her face. “No matter what, we don’t part ways being angry at each other. Understood?”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“So will you be taking care of Tom-Tom or other way around?”

“Where is he?” Katara asked, looking around. The child had the tendency to walk towards the sharpest point head first if no one paid attention. “We should be already going.”

Sokka went in search of Tom-Tom while Katara went to Aang. It was her rule not to ever part ways angry and she was glad for it. She wasn’t sure how to talk to him or what to say. She couldn’t just back down because she was happy now. No matter her state of mood, he needed a teacher. She was just guilty of going about it the wrong way. Mainly raising voice and forgetting her own arguments.

He didn’t look up from his food as she sat next to him on the grass. Katara searched her mind, trying to find something to say that was neutral but nothing was coming to her. Probably, an apology was a good place to start, she just didn’t know how. They were silent until Aang spoke.

“You look weird in Fire Nation clothes.”

Katara’s laugh was born of relief and nervousness. She looked down at the clothes she wore. It was high quality and fit her well. The fabric was soft against her skin and designed for maximum comfort. 

“I feel weird wearing them,” she admitted. It was the appearance that weirded her out. When she glimpsed at herself, it made her cheeks burn for some reason and nerves faltered in her stomach.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You can wait for us here.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said quietly. Part of her was looking forward to it. As if she could distance herself from her life for one night and be just like everyone else. “Promise me you won’t put yourself in danger, especially stupidly.”

“I don’t want to make promises.”

“Aang, don’t be reckless because you are angry with me. I get why you are angry, I really do and I promise we’ll talk once we rescue Bumi.”

“We haven’t stopped fighting with each other since you saved him,” Aang said, glancing at her.

Her brows rose. “Really?! I haven’t noticed.”

To her relief, he laughed. But went back to pouting immediately. “I’m never going to need a firebending teacher, Katara.”

She shrugged. “That’s alright. You’ll still have one reserved just in case.”

He eyed her as if she had grown another head and the third one was just budding. “Ha? What happened to you?”

She rubbed the bridge of her nose mostly to avoid the eye contact. “I’m sorry for blowing up the other day. Can we just call it teenage pains?”

“Can I get them too?”

She dropped her hand to look at him. He wasn’t pouting but he looked worried. She smiled as brightly as she could. “Nice try, Grandpa.”

She was glad they could keep their tones light and laugh the remaining of their conversation. It was still strained and full of unanswered questions but at least they didn’t part ways without talking to each other. Katara relaxed having that off her chest for the moment and fully concentrated on the task at hand. Which was a squealing baby in her arms.

She grinned down at Tom-Tom. “We’ll have fun, I promise.”

Tom-Tom clapped while giggling, already having fun. He would jump from her hands and crawl the rest of the way he was that happy to be going on a walk but somehow she managed to hold him tight to her chest as they left the campsite with one of the rebels. 

Luckily, he had been taken with her from the first moment. He slept and ate next to her without much complaint. She knew the evening alone wouldn’t be completely relaxed since he had so much energy but she knew she could handle it. After he went to sleep, she would have time to herself.

“If you get tired, I will take the baby,” said the lady who was her guide. Katara was going to use her house for the night. It was in the area populated by the Fire Nation newcomers, so her presence wouldn’t stick out. The lady would drop her off, pack up her things, and leave.

“Thank you,” Katara said, nodding. He was heavy enough that she would need assistance. She wasn’t sure Tom-Tom would agree.

“It’s not far,” the lady continued. “Once we are inside the mountain I’ll use earthbending to move us faster.”

They continued speaking as they moved down the hill to where the hidden passageway was. Katara’s hopes of finding a friend died the moment she saw Omashu had fallen. They had stayed even longer than she expected. Everyone around her was too busy trying to find a way to survive to have time for her. And with Tom-Tom becoming her sole responsibility and her mind continuously fogged with worries, she found she wasn’t exactly the prime candidate for the moment for starting up another relationship. Another relationship she would have to give up.

As always, she ended up spending time with the elderly women. They were well versed in medicine and referred to Katara as one of their own. She was glad for that bit of contact. Learning new things gave her less time for worries. Even now, as they moved the lady pointed out different plants and explained their uses to her. Her chatter helped Katara forget the ache in her hands from holding the baby. But she couldn’t get rid of the feeling of being watched.

“Are you alright, Katara? Is something wrong?”

She must have scanned the area one too many times. If there was someone she couldn’t exactly find them by just looking around in this terrain. She wanted to do more but also didn’t want to freak the lady out. They moved more carefully after that but nothing strange jumped out at her. They made it to the passageway, which lay inside the foot of the mountain rather than sewers, safely and waited inside to see if someone would follow them. 

“I think we are safe.”

Katara nodded and followed in the tunnel. Water was trickling down the walls and ceiling, the sounds of tapping echoing. Katara inhaled and felt suddenly like herself for a moment as the musty smell filled her lungs. As the distance grew between her and the boys, the more she started to really appreciate this plan. She might not be alone, but some time away from it all was something she needed. Maybe she could get her head straight. Stop the nonsense she shouldn’t have started in the first place.

“Just a little longer,” said the lady. “Watch your step, it’s getting slippery.”

Katara smiled. She was more at home on the slippery ground than solid. As long as water was around her, she would always be safe. Her movement was still slow and careful not to scare the child. She whispered to him every few seconds, reassuring they were fine. He was unusually silent, clinging to her.

They came out into a small open area illuminated by sunlight hitting a small pull of water. There were a few cracks in the wall but not big enough to provide an exit. They traveled through another tunnel before they reached a bigger but similar open area. From then on the lady used earthbending to move the ground underneath them. At first Katara had trouble balancing herself, more correctly getting through the dizzy feeling it left when the ground under her feet moved. Tom-Tom, on the other hand, was more active now, looking around with curiosity.

They cleared the mountain and walked out in the light. Katara closed her eyes and covered Tom-Tom’s as well. The sun was descending but the light was still sharp after being in the darkness for so long. Once their eyes had adjusted they cleared the outer wall of the city and moved deeper to its heart.

Katara stopped by a stall which was about to close for the evening and managed to buy some leftover vegetables to make dinner and breakfast for them. She missed cooking and she wasn’t passing this opportunity. They bought a few other things as if she was staying longer than a day but Katara was so excited to play house for an evening she didn’t stop herself.

The lady led her to the house and after retrieving the items she came for, she left. She asked her a few times if she would be okay and as much as Katara assured the lady and herself, something didn’t set right with her. The feeling of being watched returned the moment they left the cave and entered the city. Yet, no one paid much attention to them.

Katara dropped her beg on the counter and let Tom-Tom go. She shook her arms a few times to get rid of the pain. Her tries to hand him off ended with his screams. So, Katara ended up carrying him all the way. Her arms were half asleep from the pain. Then she spun in a circle with giddiness, looking around the house. Inside here she felt safe, sure no one was watching her. She didn’t let her guard down, but relaxed a bit as she followed the baby stumbling about the room like a drunken man. 

“What should we do first, Tom-Tom? Shall we sing? Dance? I should catch you, you say?”

Katara charged, making him squeal in delight. They ran around the room until she was out of breath and fell on the floor. Why was this making her so happy? Why did she view it as an escape? They lay on the ground for a few minutes but hunger forced her to her feet. She looked at the child knowing full well she couldn’t take her attention away from him to concentrate on making dinner. As the only solution she could think of she put an ice fence around him, making sure nothing dangerous was in his reach. 

Opening windows in the kitchen she let the light and fresh air in. Katara leaned against the windowsill and looked at the street. It was quiet but busier than she expected. Everyone marched purposely somewhere, minding no attention to each other. Shops had closed their doors but restaurants and bars opened. If not for Fire Nation, she traveled through enough of the Earth Kingdom cities to know the streets would be filled with ruckus.

From the corner of her eyes she saw Tom-Tom had scaled the ice and was sliding on the other side with a giggle. She shook her head at him amazed at the child’s ability to overcome all the obstacles in his quest to reach his target. Katara put him back, building the wall higher. They struggled for a few more minutes before the fence was high enough to be impenetrable and she could finally start cooking. 

Katara was chopping carrots on the counter in front of the window when the feeling of being watched returned. This time it felt like ten folds stronger. She tightened her hand around the knife and slowly lifted her head, scanning the area. At first she didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary on the street. On the second glance she couldn’t believe she didn’t notice a figure leaning against a tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the sort of cliffhanger, promise the next part is coming and there is lots of fluff to make up for lack of updates. :) And now I can finally go and reward myself with Cyberpunk 2077.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays / Happy random day.

* * *

Katara ran out the door, her feet skipping two stairs at a time to reach the street. She didn’t pause to look around before smacking into the person who stood by the tree. Her arms circled Zuko’s neck and held tight. Katara couldn’t hold herself back, she was on her tiptoes squeezing the life out of him. The thought of not seeing him until she had the time to hunt him had taken deep roots in her. She had trouble accepting he was truly here. That he wasn’t a mirage. That he wouldn’t dissipate like a dream. She hugged him tighter, as if to reassure herself he was solid.

Then the memory of his disappearance and her anger resurfaced. She drew back and hit his shoulder. Then hit it again and again and she wasn’t nice about it.

“Katara.”

“Don’t Katara me. I’m too furious.”

Both her hands were in his tight grip on her next swing and Katara found herself flattened against the tree. He was so close she had no choice but to focus on his face. He looked terrible. He also smelled terrible. What was that sooty black stuff on his face? Did he sleep on coals? Had he eaten anything for the past few weeks? Spirits, what happened to him? He looked like a scarecrow with hay sticking out every which way.

The liquid golden eyes traced her face. “Missed me?”

“What were you thinking?!” The words tumbled out of her mouth as if they had been waiting all this time to be heard. Startled, he stepped back. Zuko scratched his neck, looking at her under the lashes. Katara stayed leaning against the tree, taking deep breaths to keep her emotions in check.

“You look different,” he said, eyeing her.

“You look terrible.”

“I need to wash.”

“For starters.”

They stared at each other for a few minutes before he tilted his way towards the house and spoke. “Thoughts on inviting me in?”

“Multiple.”

Zuko’s brow arched.

“What happened to...correct me if I remember it wrongly,”-- she coughed in her hand and continued, mimicking his voice--“‘one last favor, Katara’?”

“Things didn’t go as planned.”

“Nooo, there was a plan?”

“You weren’t coming back.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

“If you had to choose, it wouldn’t be me. You told me to get out. It was then or never, Katara.”

She couldn’t stand the idea that he was right. Deep down she knew herself that day would end in the choice. And it wouldn’t be him. “Fine. But couldn’t you sneak out?”

He avoided her eyes, observing the surroundings. “I was following you to make sure you got back safely but a few guards saw me.”

“And you decided attacking the general was the answer?”

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by a loud wail. Katara spun around and ran back up the stairs with the same urgency. Tom-Tom was screaming his head off as she crossed the room and picked him up, which didn’t immediately calmed him.

“I’m here, baby,” she muttered to him. “I’m sorry I ran out like that and left you. Were you scared?”

Tom-Tom abruptly stopped crying, his eyes moving over her shoulder. She turned around, adjusting him on her hip so both were facing the door. The prince stood in the doorway. The house was an average size. It was large enough for a family. She hadn’t noticed how cramped it could be until he entered. Now even the breathing space was missing. He watched her. She shifted from foot to foot lost for words.

“How long was I gone?” He broke the silence.

She stared at him incredulously. “Really? That’s all you’ve got? Didn’t I say I’m furious with you?”

He nodded, lifting his arms up. “You are right, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Come in and close the door,” Katara told him. She smiled down at the baby, who was leaning towards Zuko, arms outstretched. When he turned around he actually took a step back as if he saw a monster. She rolled her eyes and introduced them. “This is Tom-Tom. Tom-Tom, that’s your prince but you can call him Uncle Z if you want.”

At first she thought he was freaked out by the idea of someone calling him uncle or maybe holding the baby because he looked like she slapped him. Then he repeated his name a few times as if trying to make sense of it. 

“That’s Tom-Tom? Of course, it is. Why wouldn’t it be.” Zuko grabbing his hair, which looked like hedgehog spikes from lack of care. He appeared on the verge of losing all his wits. “How?”

“Why, do you know who he is?”

Zuko looked around as if grasping for ideas. When nothing jumped out at him, he looked back at her almost defeated. “Yes.”

“How?”

“I know his family.”

“We didn’t kidnap him,” Katara said defensively. “He kidnapped himself. We just haven’t returned him yet. It’s a long story. You need a haircut.”

“For starters,” he said. “Let me return him.”

“No, thank you. We already have plans to return him. I promise he has been well cared for.”

“Katara, he needs to be with his family,” he pressed on while moving away from the baby.

Uneasiness trickled inside her mind. “How do you know his family?”

He was silent for a moment. “Friends.”

“Is that all?” She wasn’t sure why she insisted on such personal questions but something told her to push. The way he looked at anything but at her made her think she needed to hear the answer. “Why does it sound like there is more?”

He seemed to be contemplating something and it took a several minutes before he sighed in resignation. “His sister is my girlfriend.”

The world tilted sideways. She almost dropped the baby from the shock. It never occurred to her that he would be dating someone. Why was the idea so forign? Impossible? She tried to imagine Zuko’s girlfriend and as much as she tried to, nothing came to her mind. It made no sense to her. Somehow along the way she had started to think of him as something that belonged to her. Of course, he didn’t. Of course he had people that loved him. Why was it so strange?

“Your girlfriend,” she echoed, hoping it would make it easier to digest what he was saying. Why was the thought causing a stabbing pain in her chest?

“It’s not what you think.”

“Doesn’t leave much space for thinking,” she said before she could stop herself. “Still can’t let you have him.”

He swiped a hand down his face. “It’s not how it sounds.”

She nodded. “Whatever you say.”

“Katara…”

“I’ll show you where you can wash. I’ll see if I can find any clothes that will fit you in the meantime.”

“I’m just protecting her, nothing more.”

“Protect her from what?” Spirits, she needed to stop asking questions.

“My sister.”

Katara’s brows rose, unable to decide what to do with the information. “Why?”

“Not my story to tell. But there is nothing between me and Mai.”

She had a name. Of course she did.

“Why are you telling me this?” She shouldn’t have asked that question. She didn’t want to hear the answer.

“I want you to know.”

Without another word she put Tom-Tom back into his ice castle despite the protests. Adding a few ice sculptures around to draw his attention, she managed to calm him down. Katara walked to the bedroom and got a towel. The owner had shown her where everything was in case she needed it. Not in a million years would she think this would be why she would need it. She silently pointed out everything for him and left. He didn’t try to speak either.

Katara took out her frustration on vegetables, chopping them like she wanted to chop her feelings. A fake girlfriend. Really? She hated how much she cared about it. Why couldn’t there be something that made utter sense in her life? Why was everything so bizarre? The problem wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, but that they still used the titles. Didn’t matter how fake it was as long as they used the titles. What did this Mai need protection from his sister for? Katara had to admit she didn’t know much about the Fire Princess. How many more times she needed to be surprised until it registered that she knew little to nothing about Zuko?

Tom-Tom became restless. With two people in the house, things were more interesting outside of the ice castle. She picked him up and dissolved the castle. Katara managed to cut everything but she couldn’t keep him still long enough to start cooking. The bathroom was his new target and if Zuko hadn’t appeared in the kitchen when he did, Tom-Tom would have brought the house down. She wasn’t even sure how it was possible the child switched from wailing to giggling in a second. She was jealous of his emotional range and how little it took to make him happy.

Zuko was frozen in his spot, staring at them. After the layer of grime was gone he appeared even thinner. His scar seemed faded or maybe his skin was rather tanned. He must have dug in the owner’s things because his face was clean-shaven. The facial hair had been an interesting sight but she preferred it this way. He looked more like himself. The clothes she found for him were too big. The sleeves of the shirt and trousers needed to be folded a few times but it was still better than what he wore. Katara hadn’t even thought about washing it, no amount of washing could clean it. She threw it straight in the garbage.

Zuko tried to run his hands through his hair, the tangled up mess wouldn’t allow his fingers to pass. He gave up with a frustrated huff.

“Why didn’t you cut your hair?” she asked.

He sat on the chair opposite of her before answering, “Couldn’t trust anyone to get that close.”

It was a good thing she already sat. The words made her insides sink. She didn’t think about it that way. She had been so busy being angry at him, she hadn’t considered he might be in trouble. That he might not have anyone. Why had she assumed he was alright and just choosing to say away? Did she have a high opinion of him or was she too self-centered?

Tom-Tom wiggled out of her lap and got on the table. He crawled towards the prince. The prince and the chair moved back.

“It’s not a monster, Zuko.”

“Exactly.”

Well, he had another thing coming. Katara picked up Tom-Tom and moved towards him. She placed the baby in Zuko’s lap before he had a chance to react. Once he got the chance to react, his facial expression turned to one of ineffable horror.

“What are you doing?” Zuko’s voice sounded strangled when he spoke.

“Entertain him while I cook.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. How do you entertain toddlers in Fire Nation? By singing? Dancing? That would totally entertain me,” she said and turned around with a grin, taking pleasure in his torment. Tom-Tom was climbing on him, grasping his ears for balance.

“This isn’t funny, Katara,” he said, trying to shift away from Tom-Tom while still being careful so he wouldn’t fall.

Katara nodded. “You are right. It’s not funny, it’s hilarious.”

“Katara!”

“I’m hungry. Tom-Tom is hungry and I’m sure you are hungry. You can either continue cooking or look after the baby. And, no, there is no third option.”

She closed the windows to keep prying eyes away. She was sure it would be still hours before the boys reached her but wasn’t it better than sorry? She didn’t want to think about hours from now. She hadn’t expected to see him and still pinched herself to make sure it wasn’t a dream. For now, she wanted to enjoy it and not question it. A small stolen moment.

Katara looked over her shoulder to make sure he hadn’t accidentally killed the baby and found herself immobilized. Tom-Tom stood on Zuko’s thighs, examining his scar with his fingers while the prince looked at him with a mix of fear and surprise. She stared at them for a moment before she could force herself to turn back. Katara took a few deep breaths, hoping to keep her head clear. How did she find herself here?

Katara focused on the dinner, every so often looking over her shoulder to check on them. Not that it was necessary. Tom-Tom’s squeals spoke volumes.

Once the pot was on fire, she turned around and observed them. Zuko placed Tom-Tom at the end of the table, as far away from himself as he could reach. This, for some reason, delighted Tom-Tom to no end. He crawled back towards the prince with a happy shriek. Zuko didn’t allow the baby to grasp him before returning him to the starting point. She was sure it wasn’t how they entertained babies in the Fire Nation but she couldn’t fault him, the baby was clearly entertained.

“Katara,” Zuko said, his eyes begging her to take the baby. “Is now the choice between staring and entertaining the baby? I’m good with staring.”

“Do you trust me enough to let me cut your hair?” she asked quietly.

He blinked a few times, opening and closing his mouth. “You don’t mind?”

“I can do it while we wait for dinner. But probably you will have to wash again.”

His mouth fought a smile. “I wouldn’t mind actually.”

“And you have to keep entertaining Tom-Tom.”

Panic returned to his eyes. She was sure he was reconsidering his response. She laughed at his ridiculousness and put Tom-Tom on the ground before she grabbed one of the chairs. Tom-Tom rushed to climb on Zuko, who lifted him up with the back of his shirt and placed him away from himself.

“Why does he keep climbing on me?” Zuko asked in bewilderment as Tom-Tom charged towards him undeterred.

“He seems to like you. Is this the first time you’ve seen him?”

“It’s the first time I heard he exists. What do I have to do to make him unlike me?”

She shook her head as she moved towards the living room with the chair. Zuko chased after her with alarm, Tom-Tom chasing after him with glee. She placed the chair at the nearest window and went in search of scissors and a hair brush. They followed her. Like a train they moved from one room to the next.

“You can start by removing sharp objects from his reach so we can let him roam freely,” she told Zuko.

“Katara! With you please get him away from me?”

She sighed. He didn’t get it, so a demonstration was in order. She turned around and picked Tom-Tom up. Immediately, he leaned towards the prince. She waved him off. “Fine. Go.”

Zuko hesitated. He stared at her with unsure eyes but in the end he turned and left the room. Katara had just enough time to cover her ears. Tom-Tom let out a shriek. He bounced in her arms with distress, hands outstretched towards the door. He didn’t stop until the prince returned. 

“At the moment you are his favorite person. Pray he forgets about you before he goes to sleep or you may have to spend the night here,” she said jokingly but once she got a good look at the prince, Katara sucked in a breath. He had already planned to spend the night.

Zuko looked at her nervously. “There are lots of empty houses I can spend the night at.”

“No.”

_ Spirits, did a zoo move in her stomach?! _


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe it's little late but who cares: Happy New Year! I wish you all lots of reasons to smile. <3
> 
> Nobody asked for the story time: a few days before my birthday a giant box arrived. I kid you not, it's a size of a shipping crate. You could transport a lion with it. But it was light as a feather. I swear I almost died of curiosity before I found out my husband got me Appa and Momo plushies. The best gift ever! And they arrived in their own crate. :D (Now there is a whole stare down going on between my cats and plushies. I leave Appa on the couch and find him on the floor... curiously both are staying away from Momo.)
> 
> Happy reading!

Katara stood behind the prince with a hairbrush in her hands and wondered how she ended up in this mundane scenario. If someone was to look in from the window, the appearances would deceive. Her hand paused midair, unsteady. He was trying to relax his shoulders, but he was still too rigid. When her fingers touched his hair, he jumped.

“I’ve done this before,” she reassured him.

“It can’t get worse.”

“How short do you want it to cut?”

He leaned his head back, not quite touching her stomach, and looked at her. “How short can you cut?”

“Do you want me to shave it?” 

“No,” he said, sharply.

Katara shrugged. “You asked.”

“No.”

“Short and low maintenance?”

After he nodded, she gently straightened his head. Her attempt to detangle the hair knots failed when the hairbrush lost half of its teeth. She decided to first cut off all the knots and then try to brush it and worry about the length. Katara chopped Zuko’s hair with a few breaks in between to rescue Tom-Tom from various close-to-death experiences.

Once his hair was free of tangles, without paying attention to her actions, she ran fingers through the strands to make sure it was smooth. Ever so lightly, he leaned into her touch. It was so subtle she almost missed it. Katara continued running her fingers through his hair longer than necessary.

“Are you going to tell me what happened to you?” she asked.

“It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got all evening.”

“It’s a boring story.”

Katara reviewed her life and concluded there was too much excitement in it as it was. “I can use some boring.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“And you think I didn’t get that?” No matter which way she poked it, he didn’t respond. It took all of her maturity not to pull his hair. “How is your wound?”

“Healed.”

“So, what are you doing in Omashu?” She realized she spoke too soon. She didn’t want to know the answer.

“My uncle is here.”

Katara’s hands paused, not expecting that. “Is that good?”

“Considering how he almost died of poisoning, became a prisoner, and now you are about to trade with my sister, good isn’t the word that comes to mind.”

And he didn’t want to tell her what happened to him? “Start from the beginning and leave nothing out.”

“Katara.”

“Don’t. Did you see your uncle? Is he okay?”

He nodded. “He is fine now.”

“Did you meet your sister?”

Zuko huffed.

“Your girlfriend then?”

“Mai, please call her Mai.”

“What’s the difference?” She hated the sound of her own voice. What was wrong with her? She added before he could respond, “How long have you been here?”

“Not long enough to sleep.”

Was he trying to earn sympathy? Because that wouldn’t work. She snipped the air in front of his face. “Seeing how I’m holding the scissors, maybe you want to consider being more forthcoming? And maybe I’ll consider letting you sleep.”

“Violence isn’t always the answer, Katara.”

She grabbed his head and pulled it towards her to look at him. “You don’t have the moral ground for that answer, Prince Zuko. Now, talk.”

He didn’t talk. Every bit of information she pulled out of him like she was pulling out teeth. She knew he left out more than he told her, but at least she got some details of how he found his uncle. Some details. Like maximum three sentences? She couldn’t believe he even tried to bargain Tom-Tom for information.

Afte Zuko told her about his plan to rescue Iroh when the princess would leave the governor’s house and how conflicted he seemed when he learned who his sister was meeting, uneasiness trickled inside her.

“Zuko, I swear if I wake up and you and the baby aren’t here, I’ll hunt you till the end of days and beyond. Promise me you won’t interfere with our plans.”

“You don’t know my sister.”

“And I want to keep it that way. I don’t want to reveal our identity.”

“You don’t know my sister,” he said bitterly. “What you want won’t matter. This will not go according to your plan.”

Katara had to admit the moment she heard about the Fire Nation’s princess’s involvement, her stomach twisted into knots. She wanted to rethink their plan. It was a terrible plan to begin with, and now it was getting more complicated. But that didn’t mean she would allow Zuko to take Tom-Tom.

Another round of threats later, he worked his jaw a few seconds before replying. “I promise I won’t take Tom-Tom without your permission.”

“That was long and suspiciously specific.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “And no hidden agenda.”

Katara let his head go and continued cutting his hair. Her brain fired questions left and right in the silence. She frowned as another thing tugged at her mind. “Were you following me today?”

“Yes.”

“From the campsite?”

“Yes.”

She guessed it the moment she saw him, but the reassurance helped her relax. “Wait, how did you know where I was?”

He didn’t reply so long as she walked around to face him. He looked at her with curiosity and...and disappointment? What was that look in his eyes?

“You don’t feel it,” he said softly, a slight flush creeping up his neck.

Her brows drew together, trying to figure out what was happening. “Feel what?”

He shook his head.

Katara folded her arms across her chest. “Do you think I’ll let it go because you shook your head? Feel what?”

Now he was looking everywhere but at her.

“Zuko!”

“Do you call that hiding?”

To be fair, she had thought the same thing when the rebels camped at the nearest cliff. But that wasn’t the discussion. “How did you know I was still in Omashu?”

Zuko looked at the outside world through the thin curtains, as if gathering his thoughts. Katara was sure in the time it took him to reply, Tom-Tom could have gotten married. “I could feel you were nearby and finding the rebels wasn’t that difficult.”

Huh?! “What do you mean you can feel when I’m nearby?”

“I don’t know what I mean, I’m telling you what I know.”

“You aren’t making any sense.”

But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense to her. That time when she needed to leave him on Appa going had felt like a physical pain, as if the mental wall she put between them was real. And there was the fact she had been angry for weeks and how it dissipated the same day he arrived. And then there was her healing ability, or lack thereof. Katara didn’t want to think about other tiny details falling into their places.

Zuko tilted his head to the side. “It makes sense to you.”

She shook her head. Then the liquid gold of his eyes lost its shimmer, and she amended the direction her head was moving. “Since when?”

“Since you saved my life.”

“And?”

“And?” he asked in confusion.

“What else?”

“Isn’t it enough?”

Her brain didn’t have enough capacity to deal with it. This wasn’t good. Yet so many things made sense. The way she felt as if they had known each other forever. How comfortable she was with him. How she missed him. Even now her fingers itched to touch him, to be nearer than she was. And both of them knew that wasn’t normal. She had never heard of such a thing. And it quite surprised her he hadn’t hunted all the Spirits in the world to find answers, because it was five seconds since she found out and Katara was ready to march to the nearest door to the Spirit World and demand answers.

“And?” Zuko asked.

She looked at him and jumped in her skin, at the focus with which he regarded her. Katara blinked. “And what?”

“And your thoughts?”

“I’ve not been able to use my healing abilities at all unless you are around.”

“I already know that.”

“Also, I’ve been very irritable and constantly angry and then last night I felt like I could breathe again. How close were you when you felt it?”

“Felt what?” he asked. 

“Where I was.”

After a long pause, he answered, “It never stopped.”

Did he not go that far or there was no limit? What did it mean? Why? Was it a side effect? How long before it wore off? Would it? Who was going to answer her questions? “What are we going to do about this?”

“I thought you would know what to do.”

She shook her head. “Whatever this is, no one warned me about it either. Have you tried to talk to any Spirits?”

“You think I’m the one who talks to the Spirits?”

Okay, that was very unlikely, but he spent time there, didn’t he? It was a valid question. She glared at him. “Have you talked to your uncle about it?”

He looked at her like she lost her mind.

She looked at him like he had lost his mind. “Why aren’t you burning down cities searching for answers?”

“To which questions?”

“Zuko!”

“Which cities do you want me to burn?”

The sudden surge of fight drained out of her as another thing occurred to Katara. “Did you feel I was moving away?”

It looked like he wouldn’t answer, but he inclined his head in a manner you might call a nod.

“What does it feel like?”

“Are you done cutting?” he asked instead of answering.

Katara shook her head absentmindedly and walked back behind the chair. The sound of scissors snapping became the only sound in the silence that stretched between them. Followed by occasional baby sounds from Tom-Tom. After he discovered the existence of scissors, he forgot all about Zuko. At least for now. Of course, Katara couldn’t give him scissors, which almost caused a commotion. Of all the strange heros, a piece of paper had saved the day. She felt a little terrible for teaching him how tear paper to pieces. Now, Tom-Tom sat next to a pile of shredded paper, and soon there would be no paper left intact in the house. Katara’s hands moved faster as she cut the remaining hair. It ended up too short to grab, but long enough to run fingers through. She brushed hair off his shoulders, before running over his scalp one last time.

“All done. You can wash now.”

Katara cleaned up while he was in the bathroom. She was glad for Tom-Tom. It gave her something else to think about. He was getting sleepy, which made him irritable. Every few minutes he let out a scream, fighting with everything in front of him. Katara held him while she went back to check on the dinner. She tried a few things to get his attention. Nothing worked until Katara let him help her stir the pot.

Zuko walked back in the kitchen and halted to a stop, towel still on his head. He stood in the doorway, looking mystified. He coughed a few times, blinking rapidly. The prince seemed to have cleared his thoughts because he marched to the chair. She glimpsed her handiwork when the towel slipped down. The haircut suited him… Katara turned around, eyes wide. All of this was too much. Her mind was tearing apart. One part wanted to ignore all of it, and the other pushed her to dwell on every detail.

They ate dinner without talking, as if both too freaked out to interact. Probably from the same realization. After they ate dinner, Tom-Tom wouldn’t let her go. She ordered Zuko to do the dishes, half expecting the prince to blow up from indignation. He looked like he might just do that, but he got control of his emotions. With a self-satisfied smile, Katara walked out of the room.

Katara let Tom-Tom lay his head on her shoulder and they swayed around the room as she hummed. It had worked for the last few days to put him to sleep, and she hoped this time would be no different. In a few minutes, Tom-Tom was asleep. She turned around to go to the bedroom and found Zuko watching her with wide eyes. He looked different with that haircut. She shouldn’t have let him wash or cut his hair. Spirits… This was bad. This was very bad.

“Nothing, it’s nothing,” he muttered, pivoted and disappeared back into the kitchen.

“Sure?” she whispered to the empty air.

Katara used the owner’s kid’s bed for Tom-Tom and left the bedroom door ajar to hear if he woke up. Hesitating at the door, she looked around the room. He was still in the kitchen. The energy between them felt confused and awkward and full of questions. Should she even go to the kitchen? Conversations with him weren’t exactly walking in the sunshine. She could sit here. Wait and think about it. She snorted at the thought and covered it too late.

Her foot moved on its own accord. She was in the kitchen before she decided to move. Zuko stood at the sink. Both hands outstretched and covered in thick foam of dish soap. The sink itself looked like a white cloud exploded on it. Katara leaned against the doorway and observed him. The prince looked utterly lost. The more water he added, the bigger the cloud grew. Some of it spilled on the counter, soaking Zuko’s shirt. Zuko’s borrowed shirt.

She barely held her laughter as she spoke, “Have you ever washed anything in your life?”

He muttered something, but she was too far to hear it.

With little effort, Katara pulled out water from the shirt, then picked up the tap and washed down the dish soap from his arms. Handing him a hand towel, she pushed him towards the chair. “Go sit on the chair. I’ll finish it.”

He seemed too stunned to react, following her instructions without protest. She washed the remaining dishes. His gaze never left her back.

“So you are going back?”

“To get Iroh out.”

“With your girlfriend’s help.”

“Look, she isn’t really my girlfriend,” he said in frustration. “She is just a friend I’m helping.”

“You already explained it.”

Really, Katara? Seriously?! Ugh!

“It seems I didn’t,” his voice came right behind her, making her jump from the closeness. When did he move? She sucked in shallow breaths, her heart racing. Why was he so close? How did they move from awkward to I-can’t-breathe? “Your tone is misleading.”

“I’m just concerned over my assets. Wouldn’t want you to die before I collect my favor.” She attempted a breezy matter-of-fact tone and sounded anything but.

His chuckle fanned her hair. He leaned in closer. “From prisoner to asset, what glorious deeds do you think I committed?”

She stared at the closed shatters covering the outside world from her. Her fingers tightened against the sink. If it was possible, he even moved closer. She couldn’t concentrate. Not when he was so close. He needed to move away. She needed to think. The words were out of her mouth before she could filter it. Now wasn’t exactly the time for another hot topic, but it was the only thing coming to her mind to push him away. 

“Nothing yet, but training Aang in firebending will be your glorious act.”

“Huh?!” and he was across the room from her.


End file.
